Journey to Hell
by hippiechick2112
Summary: After freeing the first camp, the X-Men now must determine their next move. In the years trying their hardest to unite humanity and mutants and to stop the spread of hatred, there came a crossroad they had to face: continue the fight and die or hope to change the future and live. Story three of the series "Unspoken".
1. The Return Home

**Journey to Hell**

**Note and Disclaimer: I obviously don't own anything, like characters and plots, from _X-Men_, but the extra characters are obviously mine. This is now the third story of two of the series, "Unspoken", hoping to end by "Days of Future Past". It'll be boring in some parts, with a mix of first (Danielle) and third person, but when there's always a great future to think about, there has to be tragedy and hope as well. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**September 25, 2008**_

_I am home._

_It has been a little more than month since I walked through the house I've owned since I was eighteen, a house in which holds no meaning to me anymore, not since the worst days went behind me and the best had yet to become a dream. I mean, with so many people now milling in and out of here, it's a wonder that most of us haven't been caught, as I had…or can be ransomed and recaptured, like Storm or Hank. This house now has laughter and tears, friends and family, but most of all, it has the people I never thought to see again._

_It's also a house that holds too much for me. There has been birth and death here, but there also has been a price that most of us could not pay. It is a house I would gladly leave and with the bittersweet tears I hope never to shed. I can still walk away._

_I sit here in my bedroom, locked away from the others except for my children. In the month or so I've been gone, all three have gotten into the habit of sleeping in my and Logan's bed, most likely for comfort and smelling my pillow (Riley mostly, his nose stuck in the middle when Logan carried in me). While they had been quiet in their greetings, they hugged me closely nonetheless, Devon included. Now, as I try to lie on my side of the bed, I have three others contesting for space (well, four technically), one of them an eighteen-year-old carving a walking stick on Logan's side of the bed. While I find this amusing (and cannot read the markings), I remember that even the tightest of spaces could not hold me back from what I dreamed of…what I wished…and what I always hoped would happen._

_However, even I find that everything _can_ come true…just not in the happy ending one always asks for._

~00~

After seeing Danielle off to bed with the children crowding her (annoyed enough that he had no time with her since he got home an hour before), Logan came down into the kitchen, watching the sun dip into the western skies. He felt mentally exhausted. After over two weeks of scouting, being captured and rescuing and killing, he returned home to the farmhouse with his mate, but he felt it too high of a price. It had been almost a month and a half since Danielle had mysterious disappeared and was saved by him. But it had been those days in captivity, those two weeks away from home, that he had to suffer for her, counting those moments of his plan in which he would overcome those guards, run into the room she was held in and run out, killing anyone blindly in his sight and allowing the other prisoners to escape behind them. After a few days on the road and being home now, seeing that Danielle and their unborn child were out of harm's way, he began to plan once more.

Logan had schemed like an old, seasoned soldier…and he was determined to still win, no matter the odds of survival had been. He had been taught many, many years ago that there was always a zero chance for endurance, even if that chance came to him very few times. But if he had the ability to heal and to age slowly, why couldn't he make the same odds for another who was mortal by choice?

Grabbing the stool from underneath the island, Logan sat down. He put his head into his hands to rub out the memories of his trip, unwilling to imagine the horror he and Danielle had to face together for a short period of time, and shook them all free. He then heard a familiar, gentle noise behind him, but he was not ready to talk, even if the other was. He turned around to face the old man in the wheelchair nonetheless, putting a smile on his face that hopefully would ward his company away. Logan doubted that though.

"Did she say anything about who they were and what they were after?" Charles Xavier asked Logan, folding his old, wizened hands together.

"No, but I think I figured it out," Logan replied stoically. "Shiny government agents with a new assignment. Without knowing, we were targeted again. And it wasn't the Ellis family that was after her – us – this time."

"Trask, you think?"

"Most certainly, Professor. The elder Ferris brother took over what the Ellis family had worked so hard for and has been the puppet master since. Already, without the media reporting and chitchat about, there have been more openings in new agencies to bring down the mutants, all of them created by the president with Trask behind him, whispering in his little ear. Transports have started up again and newer and better camps are running. Thankfully, Kansas still has a hole in the ground."

"And the place where Danielle was taken?"

Logan again rubbed his eyes, this time to get the dirt out of them. "A prison-like hole in which they want the most powerful mutants to be tortured, forgotten and killed. After we came back from Kansas, I think someone put two and two together and began with Danielle and just liked me too much to let me go when found in the woods. Local rumors don't help much either. And hell, they have more in that prison than just her. All of them managed to escape after us though."

Xavier nodded. Ever since arriving here with Magneto just before Danielle was kidnapped, he was trying to come to an understanding about where the world was heading, especially here in the United States. He and his old friend barely made it into the country and were just able to reach the farmhouse during one of the happiest times yet. Summer was still underway in those early August days, a springtime youth had taken over amidst the chaos and a closer familial tie had brought all of them together. Even with the usual arguing between Logan and Hank (and sometimes Roger Mortimer), all had been well.

That is, until that day Danielle decided to go out shopping alone. With her convertible fixed (she and Logan had been working on it for some time before then), she felt freer to go into town and grab things they needed without the kids tagging along. However, when she did not return home after nightfall that day and could not be reached through any links, everyone began to worry. It was not until a picture of her naked and chained, along with a warning not to mettle, had been posted to the porch door that they knew the worst had happened. Worst of all, it seemed, there was a mutant in the community that had betrayed her, one in which knew her so well and had wished her the best beforehand, even if his intentions seemed a little off-handed.

And Xavier knew that Logan would have hunted them all down and killed them at any cost in order to save Danielle, save for the one who betrayed her (the honor would be Logan's, if the mutant had it his way, but Danielle would do since it was a person she knew). It had taken a week of planning (after two and a half weeks of moping and feeling sorry for himself in the bedroom with the kids) and another two weeks to get in and come back, but they both made it back alive. Well, it was all three, if Xavier wanted to count Danielle and their unborn baby.

"We have more to worry about then, don't we?" Xavier asked, feeling that he was stating the obvious.

"I guess so," Logan replied, trying not to let his mind think. He always hated to get ahead of himself. "And I think they'll come back if we don't hurry. It's about time to start to think about splitting up."

"And rightfully so." Magneto had entered the kitchen from the living room, trying hard not to overhear the conversation, but feeling the need to come into it anyway without the others hearing when they came home. "I think Danielle has been trying to push us towards that, Charles."

"I know." Xavier had remembered the first conversation he had with Danielle in years. She urged him to think over separating them more, to keep in contact when they could, but Xavier thought them safe for now. His refusal almost meant her life.

"Do you think we should think of such things now?" Logan asked, his eyes trained to the stairs. "We might need a few days to regroup and rethink our action plan."

Magneto had no mercy. "And give them time to do the same? No, Wolverine, I think we need less than a few days. Bags have been packed. Groups can be determined at a later point. The destinations remain to be seen, although I am sensing a long trip south of Mexico for us."

"South America?" Xavier was confused.

"Trask has built a new co-called detention center there for mutants," Magneto informed them, Logan's eyes still concentrated on the stairs and not on the latest hate. "I think if we strike there, we might have more on our side. Already, from what Rogue has said, there are three mutants from the Kansas camp who are willing to fight with us."

"Blink," Logan recalled, seeing the purple portals in his mind from a mission past. "And there are two more, but I can't remember their names."

"We'll figure it out soon enough," Xavier said with a wave of his hand. "We'll have everyone together for a meeting. If the South American camp is true, we can easily run it around and have those in there be in charge and overturn it. Roger Mortimer can help us with it."

Magneto's face turned into one of disgust, but he kept his opinions to himself this time, willing himself not to have to fight with the master spy, Roger "Firebird" Mortimer. Still bitter from all the events from the past forty years onward, Magneto had been one to voice his extreme words and send others to help in his dirty words, battling with Roger for years too. He had escaped more prisons than he could count, destroyed government agencies bent on killing the mutants and still managed to be the same terrorist everyone thought he was since 1962. Now, with the peaceful deal he made with Xavier after the events at Alcatraz, he was coping with his past…and bending to make the future better, even if it meant more killing and dealing with someone he hated. Xavier was soon seeing it the same way.

"And Mae and her son?" Magneto asked in general, his thoughts too on the wife and son Roger was going to be leaving behind. "What about them?"

"Sacrifices have to be made, Erik, you know that," Xavier pointed out. "Roger Mortimer still holds control over many of Phineas Teller's men, as well as his own. He is only person we know that can devise a plan to help us on a whim. He can rejoin his family at a later time."

"We just need to find him," Logan added, although he was not sure where Roger was. Nobody really did and that was increasingly becoming a problem.

"I'm pretty sure I can try," Xavier said, smiling. Although he did not have Cerebro, he could still attempt to reach out. Even Mae had a better advantage of linking with the Professor, although she could only jump through memories, not read minds.

Magneto then turned to Logan. "Do you think we can get Danielle on her feet by tomorrow?" he asked him, trying to gauge Logan's feelings and see how unbiased he could be.

"I don't know," Logan honestly said. "If I had her sister-in-law, I'd have a better opinion to give, wouldn't I?"

Xavier immediately saw the conflict coming. "Let me try to contact them," he urged the two between him, trying to make sure no fight brought out again. It was bad enough when Logan and Hank had it out. "I'm sure they're nearby and will come as soon as possible."

"I'm sure as well," Magneto added smoothly, watching Logan's reaction.

Logan didn't give Magneto the satisfaction of being talked to like a child by Xavier. Frowning at the two older men, he crossed his arms across his chest, saying nothing.

"Logan" Xavier warned.

"I'll wait," Logan said grudgingly. "I'll be upstairs if you need me."

Magneto and Xavier then watched the mutant take off, arms still crossed. They both had the same thoughts, but did not voice them. Indeed, for their sakes and for Logan and the kids, they hoped that Danielle lived through what she previously experienced. If they had lost her too, then some of their hope would have faded a little more, waning already by the news that fresh threats approached. While Hank, Ororo, Matthew Adams and Rogue had not been around to hear the news (and would only be excited by the return when they came in from their trip), they would understand the implications just as Xavier and Magneto had.

Heavy footsteps upstairs echoed from one end of the house to the other. Xavier knew that Logan was angry, on the surface, at least. It wouldn't be long before those feelings exploded into something more though…and soon.


	2. Be Patient With Yourself

Logan entered the bedroom in the front of the house upstairs, finding all three kids lingering on the bed and being their usual selves (pests, in Logan's mind, much as he loved them). While Danielle had been half-asleep and trying to rest half-heartedly, Michael and Riley had been climbing all over her, clamoring for her attention and fingering every cut and bruise on her body that was visible. Devon appeared to have been calmer (and not supervising his younger brothers), still carving out the walking stick he started before Danielle disappeared, shavings being dropped into a garbage pail. All of them had noticed the painful M that had been etched above Danielle's right eyebrow too, but said nothing.

"Out, all of you," Logan growled, annoyed and still unused to being the father figure to three unruly boys who always wanted their mother above all things. "You all have things to do and beds to sleep in tonight."

"What about dinner?" Riley whined, hopping over Danielle and landing at Logan's feet with ease. "What's for dinner?"

"Leftovers," Logan declared, feeling much too lazy to cook and deal with complaints from three kids who wanted their mother's cooking and missed it greatly. When all three moaned loudly simultaneously, he added, "I'll make it dinner for a fuckin' week if you're not out of here in five seconds. Out!"

"Yes, Dad," was the reply from all three. Quickly, they scampered out of the bedroom with their things (Devon putting the garbage can back behind the door), leaving Logan room to finally sit on the edge next to Danielle and take her into his arms…alone at long last.

"_Dad_?" Danielle asked in a tired and muffled tone, but Logan heard the amusement in her voice too. She thought it was very funny.

"Don't ask me," Logan replied, pulling Danielle closer to him to smell her. She put her thin arms around him, her head on his shoulders. "They started it."

"You're getting used it, I see. They look up to you."

"I thought you said they didn't have to call me that."

"They_ don't_, but I wasn't the one who forced them to. What happened when I was gone? You turn all soft on me or something?"

"No." Logan looked past Danielle, seeing an open, blank book on the bed. It was the journal Danielle picked up on the way home, eying it as they walked to the getaway car Logan had. Its empty pages had been smeared with another's blood (she _did_ pick it up from a dead body on the road, curiously enough), but that did not deter her from writing in it when she had ink.

Danielle picked her head up and faced Logan. "Then what happened?"

"Things." Logan was trying hard to avoid the subject, unwilling to allow Danielle to see the turmoil he dealt with without her, but she could see it easily anyway. Their close link had been reconnected on the way home and it was a deeper touch to Logan that brought Danielle to the past and back again.

"_Oh_, Logan," she said as images and feelings passed through her eyes quickly. "They had you. Who else could they turn to?"

"Others here who loved you just as much," Logan replied sarcastically (knowing she was right), gently rolling over and taking Danielle with him, placing her on top of him. Between them, the baby squirmed and then stilled before continuously kicking, which made Logan stop and cringe for a moment. "I can't get used to that."

"You liked it enough when I was pregnant with Riley," Danielle said, remembering those days as their honeymoon period.

"It was for a short period of time," Logan reminded her as the kicking stopped. "And this is for how many more months?"

"Regardless," Danielle said with a wave of her hand, her body shaking with the autumn chill in the room. "That isn't the point here. You came up for a reason."

"You get the point pretty fast."

"I do usually. You talked with Magneto and the Professor." When Logan was about to say something petulant about it, Danielle added immediately, "I heard the voices downstairs. And I think you're right. We need to move on soon and seek shelter elsewhere. The kids have been prepared for months and know what the world is like. It's time we think about resettling and the new assignments."

"We don't know what that is yet. Magneto has a plan about destroying a Trask camp in South America. Have no evidence now, but I think he's bullshitting somewhere."

"He might be somewhere, no doubt about it," Danielle agreed, "but the Professor has been with him for _how_ long now? He should be able to keep Magneto out of trouble. They're getting too old to play cat and mouse anyway…and so is Roger. I think after this past mission a few months ago, Roger should get all the rest he needs and stay in that hole of his."

"You're right." Logan sighed and kissed her, imagining a world without Roger to bother him in. "I still don't trust him."

"I don't either, but we have to deal with the allies handed to us. Do you think I wanted to deal with Phineas Teller after all those years?"

"No." And Logan understood that.

"And I still don't," Danielle said firmly. "It doesn't mean he's up to something or he's thinking through another scheme. But he helped us, I'm thankful, and I'm willing to depend on him again if he proves himself. It's the same with Magneto. He's helped the Professor in the past, we'll all thankful, and we need to depend on him as well if we're to get through this…because he's a survivor, just like we are. He's made his peace with the Professor. It appears that he's sincere. While I don't doubt he has his own plans like he did last time, he's still a powerful mutant who's better on our side and watched closely."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Logan reminded her.

"Exactly," Danielle added, kissing Logan and rolling off, curling on his side of the bed for some needed rest.

~00~

_**September 26**_

_It's after dawn already. The Professor, my wise mentor of many years (and some of the time without knowing he lived), sits with me in the kitchen with the others as my children wake above my head. He is sipping some hot tea and perhaps contemplating his own thoughts, but we both are quiet with each other, even with our minds. There are so many things we both are racing to think through that we both can't sleep. I know the Professor hasn't been sleeping much since he began his travels through Europe and misses his trip to the church in Siberian Russia he loved, but even all that is peaceful and quiet can be destroyed._

_I could not sleep either. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that dark cell, crammed, cold and rat ridden. I remember that man too, the man that Logan killed for me, who kept coming in and asking me questions I could not answer for the love of my family and friends. He knew me for a Mitchell by birth and an Ellis by marriage and a very highly prized hostage as a mutant, but even he could not break me with his torture. I did not know his name, but I knew the face well._

_Maybe a few hours ago, I went downstairs, tired of watching Logan toss and turn in his sleep and dream his many nightmares. He was going to wake up soon anyway and I needed some time alone before he did, that worrisome man. A light in the kitchen interested me too. I wondered who was up._

_Of course, it was the Professor. I greeted him warmly, recalling the last time I saw him (and Magneto too). He said nothing about the time I was away, but I took a stool from nearby and sat with him by the window before the sink._

"_Do you often do this?" I asked the Professor, not willing to stretch out my powers yet._

"_Oh, when the world sleeps," he answered. From that, I knew it was often._

_I leaned into the sink's edge, elbows holding my body up as I dangled from the seat. "Don't you ever wonder, Professor? About what the world is if something…I don't know…changed before all this could ever happen?"_

"_The future is set as we know it, Danielle," the Professor said, smiling. "There's nothing we can do to change it."_

_I bit back an answer about the future being the way it is, but thought again. Some mutant powers had yet to be discovered, I wanted to say. Maybe something can be changed…a moment in time, a leap in faith…but that wasn't to be. To change that period of time might upset a balance, make everything different from what it was…make me not love Logan or have the children I have or even kill people who are now alive and vice versa. And I cannot exchange that for the world._

"_We all regret our choices, Danielle," the Professor continued. "Bear them. You wisely thought you made every step in your life the right direction. Tragedy comes when you least expect it."_

_I had to smile. "Are you reading my mind again?"_

"_Your block does not allow me to."_

"_What block?" I did not realize that there was one._

_The Professor then turned to face me. "Even with tragedy comes a point where you don't want to remember and don't want others to see. You want it locked away in the maze of your mind."_

"_I cannot forget what happened, Professor," I protested. "I was _there_. There's nothing I can't have made unseen or undo."_

"_No, no. To keep it to yourself, like a secret. You have a block to have it under lock and key, as it were."_

"_I am not ready to tell anyone though."_

"_I understand." The Professor eyed the M above my eyebrow, a souvenir from the man who tortured me…a tattoo like the prisoner numbers on Magneto's arm from Auschwitz. "There will come a point when you do…and even Logan would not be able to save you from that fall. You fell so many times, Danielle, and have picked yourself up time and again. Marriage to your enemy and capture by his cousin did not end your life. This would not break you either."_

"_Anything could break a person's soul, Professor, and make them come to a low point," I daringly purposed to him. "Even you, I should imagine."_

_The Professor kept a neutral glare. "I suppose so, yes. A very, very long time ago, before you were born, perhaps when Jay was a young child."_

_When I said nothing more, the Professor again patted my arm gently, a far more intimate gesture than the first time he met me when I was a child. "Be patient with yourself," he cautioned softly. "There are worse things out there than change and an endless pit you seem to see."_

"_I will remember that."_

_Immediately afterward, I heard some noise behind me and saw Magneto on the stairs. He was dressed in comfortable clothes that did not show his tattoo on his arm, but his face was grim, as always. As a child, when I knew him less, I used to call him Mr. Doom and Gloom (silly as it was when I was seven), but when I view him as an adult, he still acts the same…but with reason, coupled with a bitterness I can somehow relate to. He addressed us warmly, asking for some tea. I pointed to the kettle on the stove, reluctant to move from my seat. The Professor smiled and wheeled for it instead, gently motioning to me to move when he filled it with water from the sink. I did move with my stool, but to the island, hoping for a huge cup of illegal coffee with Logan once he realized I was up._

_I then watched the Professor and Magneto from the island, the two interacting silently as they worked for their tea and the quiet morning they always craved (or, so I've been told). The Professor started the stove as Magneto watched, his arms now crossed stubbornly as the Professor proceeded to pick out the least favorable blend and Magneto inwardly sighed and reached for another, which the Professor accepted over the other. A silent language between them without the mind melding, surely, and one that developed for who knew how long._

_By then, the house was starting to wake up. Above my head, the boys were starting their day, as Devon and Rogue directed Michael and Riley and Hank and Matthew emerged from their shared bedroom. In the living room, Storm was stretching and yawning from her comfortable spot on the foldout mattress. Our idyll alone time was over and I now needed to get dressed too._

"_Bring it on," I muttered to myself, ready to face the day now. I had to do it sometime._


	3. Agreement to Depart

It was easy over breakfast to call a meeting and wait for two more people, as Xavier asked. Devon and Rogue were assigned to watch over Michael and Riley in the living room while the others sat in the kitchen, unable to talk about their next move until younger ears were out of reach. Again, Xavier had an idea that they split up and they head in different directions, but how to proceed with the plan was the hardest part. Worse yet, he had to wait for the Mortimers to show up. He had managed to contact Mae the night before, when she and her family were in their safe house, and realized how near they were. A few more minutes would not hurt.

Ororo was cooking breakfast by the stove, calling orders for eggs, toast and hash browns (and still mindful of what the kids need for their daily diet, as always). Everyone minus the four youngest mutants gathered around the island, still waiting for the surprise two people that Xavier mentioned would be joining them. The chatter had been a headache, but Danielle somehow did not mind after coming back down again in the aftermath of dressing and getting her children's day ready. Not joining in socially, she slipped around an irritable Hank and grabbed a chair from the dining room, pulling it over to the island and sitting next to Logan. Logan, in the meantime, had been debating with Hank about something, but Danielle was not sure what it was. She somehow did not care, especially the way the two bickered these days.

Slowly, Danielle tuned into herself, her mind easing out and searching around the kitchen like a ghost. She passed Logan and Hank and whirled around Matthew, drinking his black coffee and laughing as Hank and Logan were having it out. He had no thoughts about the future, but he had been thinking about going to South America with Magneto and the Professor, if not to get away from a town full of horrible memories. Sensing the usual, Danielle twisted and came upon Ororo, cooking and humming. While better than most after her ordeal in the camps, she was still skittish and sometimes unable to cope with the nightmares, driving herself to distraction with things she normally loved.

Making a turn around the island, Danielle finally came upon Magneto and Xavier, still sipping their tea. She had avoided Magneto at all costs and was about to do the same with Xavier, but was easily caught.

_Danielle! What are you doing?_

Danielle felt like she jolted awake in her seat, so powerful was Xavier's pushback. _Nothing, Professor. I couldn't help it._

Xavier smiled amusingly, as if he heard the joke from Matthew the minute before. _I can see that. It's a different thing, once you've realized you have more power than you really have, isn't it? I wondered when you were going to see it._

_Yeah, it is…and it's sometimes disconcerting to have Jay in my mind, or at least half of it._

_He tried his best to keep you alive, Danielle. Give him some credit._

_I do…and I curse that night too. Some days…_

When the door unexpectedly opened, everyone turned their heads, noticing Roger and Mae Mortimer enter. Everyone greeted them warmly, even Hank and Logan (who had stopped their argument for a minute), and it was soon back to the morning routine. Chairs had been moved, children started getting underfoot and voices were raised. It had taken considerable time to get things in order, but when the atmosphere had calmed down, the conversation had moved to the living room. Michael and Riley soon grew bored and egged each other on to race upstairs and play. Rogue and Devon, their eyes glued to the two, were growing out of breath and ran behind them as they darted away, Devon cursing the day he decided to become an older brother and protect them. Rogue said nothing, but her eyes betrayed some hurt, something Danielle had caught on and noted to ask about later.

Xavier smiled, putting his cup of tea down that he brought with him. "Now that we have the children out of the way, we can get down to business."

The group soon turned their voices down to silence and stared at Xavier, waiting for him to start. While Magneto had been seated by him on the right side of the couch, he could not help but smile too, an action echoed by Ororo on the other side of the wheelchair. Roger, who was next to Magneto (Hank on his other side, silent), snickered, but took a gulp of coffee, grateful that there was still some alcohol left in his house and that Logan didn't drink it all. Mae seated herself in a chair next to the couch, giving her husband a sharp glance (which soon was accompanied by Matthew's own quick snort by the TV), but also glancing back at Danielle in the rocking chair with worry. She had seen the younger women in poorer condition, but this to be the worst, but her (hopefully) third full term child seemed in better state than she was. However, she had to contend with Logan, who kneeled next to her, holding her hand protectively.

"It has come to my attention that certain things are happening and we would – and should – most likely have to split up and meet back again every once in a while," Xavier started, getting to the point immediately. "The situation of the world today rests with the wave of hatred that has been instigated for many years. While we've tried our best to still it, we have to try harder yet to quell the unrest and bring back the rational. I have yet to determine groups, but I think one would have to head north to Canada."

Xavier then looked to Logan and Danielle. "Logan, that would be you and Danielle. There has been a safe house for mutants with the Red Cross in northern Alberta, a territory in which I am sure you're very familiar with. Find shelter, use the safe house if you can, but scout the area and run a connection to Department H within the Canadian Defense Ministry."

Logan growled audibly. Danielle recalled that Logan had done some insane work with the Canadian Defense Ministry prior to running jobs between Canada and the United States and joining the war effort in Vietnam. She did not think it was too clean and, by the look on Logan's face, it didn't end well either.

"The Ministry has been against the new mutant laws," Hank reminded Logan gently. "They might be able to help you."

Logan muttered something about people who didn't know what they were doing and older brothers that liked interfering with work, but he accepted the order from Xavier. He also shot Hank a look that told him to mind his own business, but the blue mutant, who was hardly frayed out by Logan's constant roundabouts (used to the political bickering in Washington anyway), yawned and pretended to be listening elsewhere.

"Who's going with him?" Ororo asked, knowing at least some of the group heading north.

"The children and myself," Danielle immediately said. "I also want to take Rogue with us."

"And me," Mae added. "Gil is happy where he is and does not need me. He's safe."

Xavier nodded. "A large enough group, I supposed, but when dealing with government officials, more is better. Now, Erik and I are going to be settling down in Brazil, around the town of Belèm in the Amazon. It's rumored that their overcrowded prisons are Trask built and are housing mutants. While it is barbaric to see it, there are mutants in there that we need freed and quickly, one in particular. For that, I would need Roger Mortimer to come with us."

"I'll go as well," Matthew volunteered automatically, before Roger could get a word in. "I can't exactly be a casualty."

Again, Xavier nodded, seeing Magneto do the same with a smile. While Matthew had not shared powers with anyone as his now dead sisters were rumored to do, he still had to ability to live and die at will, age slowly or not at all and to stay a specific age for any period of time. He also had superior fighting powers and had the patience to wait out a fight and jump in when his greatest opportunity came. He was as good a scout as Logan, but did not have the animalistic senses his counterpart did.

"Mystique still has four mutants still in her care," Magneto reminded Xavier. "They're in Russia, but I'm sure a trip to a warmer climate would charm them out of their hidey holes."

"Surely," Xavier replied. He then looked to Hank. "What do you think?"

"Numbers show strength, but determination wins the day," Hank answered. "I'll come with you as well."

"And so will I," Ororo declared loudly.

Roger Mortimer said nothing still, calculating in his mind what had just conspired without his say-so. Used to being his own man and heading even more, he was still having difficulty being under Xavier's thumb once more and having to play by his rules. Being separated from his wife once more, it'll be more difficult to cope, especially when they had so little time together during their marriage and since their recent time together had been too sweet. However, they were going in opposite directions and it was going to be harder to get in contact with the other. Love letters had not been Roger's thing either, much as Mae would send him word anywhere. He thought himself too soft to begin with and could not imagine writing to begin with.

"What else is down in Brazil, Professor?" Ororo asked, curious. "If the Canadian Ministry is against the laws, then what would be in the south?"

"A group we hope to meet," Magneto repeated. "They're in the prison."

"And a mutant who I am…most anxious to meet," Xavier said afterward. "I believe that he was initially rescued from the Kansas camp and sent on his way, but he purposely had himself caught again in order to see to the other mutants and bring warning supposedly. This time, his plan involves a mass escape for the group in question, I believe."

"And seeing to it that we know of the future," Magneto added. "From what we understand, the future can _never_ be changed. However, to travel _back_ has been rumored…from a mutant we are to be introduced to. His name is Lucas Bishop."

Danielle's jaw almost dropped. "_Bishop_?" she asked, gulping down a lump in her throat.

"Yes," Xavier replied, looking at Danielle with puzzlement. "Why?"

"He was on the last transport from the camp," Danielle explained. "Black man, long, dark hair and an M above his eyebrow…"

"So it has been rumored," Magneto said, with a wave of his hand. "We shall hear his story and decide from there. In either case, the camp needs to be disbanded and fast."

"And we shall destroy it," Roger announced. "When we do leave?"

"I would assume tomorrow," Logan replied, eying Roger with suspicion. The two had loved to hate the other, but Logan had always been wary of Roger's actions, even from the start.

"Different days, different times," Ororo butted in, before the two argued and Hank joined in, but aimed her discussion at Logan specifically. "It's going to be cold up in Canada. If you leave now and find a safe place, it would be easier to work with the Ministry, especially when you'll well established and have a roof over your head. You'll be as any normal family finding refuge in the north."

"And now, it's summer in South America," Matthew added. "It'll be easier for us, but we can wait out a few days, make contact, and work our way from there."

"Exactly." Danielle was still shaking over Bishop, but kept outwardly calm. "What do you think, Professor?"

Xavier was saddened by them leaving again, but kept a straight face. He was interested in Bishop and what Magneto had told him, but was cautious. He could not tell who would be on their side and what moles the captors would plant in order to discredit them. They had to tread carefully. This especially was a message for those heading north. The Canadian Defense Ministry never forgot those who worked for them…and Logan had been an interesting character after World War II, one who was slowly growing tired of the intrigue and violence and hoping to lead a quiet existence with a woman who was now dead and partially because of William Stryker. Logan's great memories had come back sharply over time, Xavier noted, and sending him might open old wounds he never knew the older mutant had.

Then again, Logan was good at telling people off when it hurt anyway, and in more ways than one.

"I believe the time has come to depart then," Xavier only said, his tired eyes aching to fall asleep now, after a night of thinking too much. "I would ask your indulgence in using your home, Danielle. I hope you don't mind."

Danielle was touched by the inquiry, even if home wasn't the house they lived in anymore. "No, Professor. Use what you can and leave. The sooner we are out of Salem Center, the better we'll be. Anyone seeking refuge can stop here anytime, as always."

A general agreement rose. By then, the children had returned and business was back to a façade. However, the glances exchanged between Magneto and Xavier had been cause for worry. While confident that they would find what they were looking for and then some, Danielle was sure that they were also worried about what was down there. Nothing had been said about the events below Mexico, as no agreement had been made there unlike the treaty with the corrupt Mexican government. However, like Europe, it was rumored that South America has been a hotbed of controversy and violence…and mutants were not welcome there always.

Amidst the confusion that ensued when the children got everyone's attention, Danielle was resolute. She would keep in contact at all costs, keeping appraised and to keep focused on their work too…or perhaps lose what was left of her family.

* * *

**As everyone who has read the comics knows...Logan was part of Department H within the Canadian Defense Ministry and had dealings with HYDRA at one point or another. While different universes place this in different times, it has been said that it ended when he was sent to assassinate Xavier...and failed because the Professor wiped his memories.**


	4. Unexpected Mutant Traitor

_**September 29**_

_It is strange to see the place you've grown up in now a dot on a map and many miles behind you. While it has been three days since we all decided to leave Salem Center (and three days since I dared to rest and write something down), it still strikes me strange to leave behind a town that loved and hated me at the same time and now would now love to see me dead. Indeed, I don't think that it would be wise to ever come back again, if to avoid all that I gained and lost._

_So far, it has been an interesting journey, from the day we picked our groups to now. I don't know where exactly we are (I just know we're somewhere in northern New York and close to the Canadian border, somewhere near a lake), but I'm sure, with Logan's knowledge of the roads and woods and of Canada in general, we'll make it to wherever we need to be. The Professor mentioned to go to Alberta, which is where Logan originated from and has been hiding out at times. I only hope with my heart that he does not heed to his demons inside and ignores what it cost him to see what he kneeled to._

_But as I rest here now under a tree, I must recall most of what has happened just before we came to this pathway. I mean, the walking bit was the same as always (woods and roads, whining children, worrisome Mae and avoiding towns, if necessary), but getting there was the toughest part._

_The worst part of it all was the leaving the house that was no home, to be honest. No, it was not giving one last glance at those things I was leaving behind. No, it was not the house in which I spent most of my life in and have raised my children in. No, not all that…it was but my betrayer, the person who sold me to the highest bidder and won his prize…except it wasn't what he expected in the end either. And that one person who dared to do so entered my house before I left, to say some final words maybe, but has received nothing from me in return except a show of my powers and a taste of what could happen if he appeared ever again._

_Calmly, I must write this…the person who gave the information as to my whereabouts and my activities was my ex-boyfriend from long ago, Vinnie Paul._

_I'll give Vinnie some credit where it was due because I was not the greatest girlfriend either. He tolerated my games when I was younger and learned to spin a pretty web for me too when someone was looking for me and I was in legal trouble. He picked me up from a back room one night as I was doing homework for the Professor, thinking I was older than twelve, and danced me around Phineas Teller's bar when my brother Jay was working as a bouncer at the door (amongst other things). When he realized that I was under the legal age of consent later that night, he balked and almost met Jay's knife at the throat, but waited until I was fifteen, when it was easier for me to gain entry to the bar and work under the table. I aged faster than most people at times, especially in times of trouble, and when I was fifteen, you would have thought I was in my late teens to early twenties._

_From then on, since saving my life on my first mission (and that didn't really end pretty either, with a smile across my neck), Vinnie latched onto me and never let me go until I was eighteen, maybe. Well, I should say that it was on and off again, love and hate all at once. He would cheat on me, I would cheat on him. We had relationships at the same time as ours and didn't care and brought our other partners in bed when we were sharing it. In the end, we always came back for each other and begged forgiveness. However, in the end, he was also in with Teller, Chameleon (my father) and Leon on our whereabouts and told my now dead husband where to find me and Jay…and how to kill us both._

_I came out of that ordeal barely alive (thanks to Jay, who saved me before he died) and married Leon Ellis, a so-called great senator, backstabber and former middleman to Trask Industries. While this did not last long (almost ten years of marriage isn't much of one), the chains did not fall until he was killed over a year ago…and I was recast as another whore to another member of the Ellis clan. While that did not last too long either, I was still frightened of my own shadow until Logan came back and, with Roger Mortimer beside him, kicked me into gear. How Vinnie fits in there comes months after my secret with Peter Ellis was set free._

_I went to Teller after years of not seeing him, asking him for help and arms to get people out of a camp and even supplied some of Jay's automatic weapons to the cause. He obliged me, but Vinnie was not so happy to see me, especially with Logan. He was a dick that first night (and luckily knocked out by Logan before the deal was completed with Teller), but since then I had not seen him…until that day. And after we freed the Kansas camp, I was on cloud nine with Logan, the children and the new baby, to be honest, not thinking that those that I too stabbed in the back would return for their due._

_On the day I was captured by the men in black, Vinnie stood in the middle of the road, unmoving and his eyes dancing with the fire of his mutation (which was planting images in another's mind and making it a reality). Now, I was taking my old convertible out for a drive to the store, since I missed being so free and young (alone and without children and Logan too), and was surprised to see my ex out there by himself, waiting for me. I managed to brake the car in time and leave it in neutral (Logan had kept the standard transmission), putting my guard down just this once, and was about to yell at Vinnie when all hell broke loose…and my mind turned into one terrible image after another, one nightmare after the next, until I woke up in that cell._

_The day we left the house was the last time I saw Vinnie, weeks after the incident. Things had gotten late anyway with the kids and all and we were going to wait until nightfall before heading out instead of the usual early morning ass-crack before dawn approach. It was maybe five in the afternoon. I had managed to put the kids to bed for the few hours remaining to them and had put Rogue and Devon to sleep (taking some time and effort, but it was worth every moment to try). After exiting the kids' bedroom, I made my way to bed. Mae had confined me there every chance she had, even going as far as telling Logan that I needed it, and for once, I had agreed with her._

_About an hour later, I heard some noise downstairs, voices I could not decipher. The sun had yet to set and things were supposed to quiet down. I knew that most of the occupants of the house were gathering supplies for their journey south. All the people left in the house were my three children, Rogue, Logan, Magneto and the Professor. No visitors were allowed or expected._

"_Dammit, bub, you now woke the lady of the house." It was Logan, his tone as sarcastic as ever as I got out of bed and walked with bare feet across the floor and to the stairs. "And when she's through with you, you're gonna wish you had me to deal with."_

_I dared myself to go downstairs, sensing something I did not want to meet face-to-face. I didn't want to really know what was happening and was willing to let Logan handle the issue, but I was curious…and that feeling led me to something so close to rage that I could feel the half of Jay's mind inside of me pull at the cage bars, screaming to be freed._

_My body turned cold, mists dripping from the walls. I felt my eyes turned to black and, from my hands onward, I was a bluish-silver shimmer with no control anymore._

_I can't remember walking into the kitchen and doing anything, but I saw the look of terror on Vinnie's face before I blacked out. He had his back against the door by then, Logan's claws about two inches from his face. But he was more afraid of me than he was of Logan, like the warning he received wasn't enough and he needed to see me to believe._

_The next thing I remembered, I was leaning against the kitchen island, feeling my forehead hit the cold counter and wanting to throw up, the baby doing flips inside of me. It happened every time I felt Jay inside of me, wanting to push out, something I could hardly contain. The Professor was holding my mind back from combining powers again (I felt his reassuring presence besides Jay's and it was comforting) and Logan had Vinnie by the throat this time, claws in. And my mate did not look so happy._

"_You got lucky, bub," Logan said, his hands closing in tighter and tighter. "You got _very_ lucky."_

_By then, Magneto had entered the scene. I did not know where he came from, but he arrived in the kitchen, undisturbed and quite amused by Vinnie's predicament with Logan. With a wave of his hand, he easily separated Logan and Vinnie, but still held my ex aloft separately while Logan sat on the floor, angry by the loss. Magneto then waved his hand again and the back of Vinnie's head hit the door. Finally, Magneto allowed him to drop, a bloody spot on the back of Vinnie's dark head._

"_I would agree with the Wolverine," Magneto declared, walking towards Vinnie before his consciousness could bring the concentration camp survivor to ruin. "You are a very lucky man, Mr. Paul. And I would say enough is enough with your continuing menace."_

_Vinnie finally shook his head, brazen in the face of the older man. He stood up, rolling up his sleeves, and stared at Magneto with eyes I knew too well. Before the Professor could do anything though (and he sensed it enough), I picked my own head up and shot my hand out, controlling Vinnie's powers before he could put Magneto through a nightmare. I felt weaker and sicker to my stomach, but I knew that I had to hold the link…or, with the Professor, forever have to mop up the puddle Magneto could be when faced with his ultimate challenge of his childhood years._

"_Dammit…" Vinnie was as still as a statue as Magneto also took control, this time of his body._

"_Yes, it does seem you're in a little conundrum here, Mr. Paul," Magneto said to Vinnie in a contemplative tone, tightening his grip and almost choking my ex, just as Logan did before. "You betrayed some of us for a little bread and you gain liberty in the process. So, tell me…how does it feel to see the face of a survivor, and a pregnant one at that? Does it make you feel warm inside to abide by the suffering of others so that you could taste a little freedom?"_

_Magneto let Vinnie go, but I did not. As the Professor peered at me from his corner of the kitchen with concern, I mouthed to let me be. If I allowed Vinnie loose, he would plant more images than me and the Professor could keep track of…and nobody could stop him. However, I believed that, by the time Magneto was done, Vinnie was as well. He looked at Magneto and then Logan and me and the Professor, my hold on him waning. He cleared his throat loudly when his sight fell on me, awkwardly making his way for the door as he did, but his eyes saw me one last time, maybe for nostalgia's sake. He did not know of our plans to go in opposite directions, but I almost swore he could see through my mind, to pick though the last meeting we conducted and figure out where everyone was heading to._

_Luckily for us, Vinnie is not a telepath. It was a thing I was always grateful for._

"_I am giving you an hour head start," Magneto warned as Vinnie finally turned the doorknob, his world shattered because we were so much stronger and would not abide by his presence. "I would suggest getting as far away from here as possible before we unleash Wolverine here."_

_Logan grinned and let out a claw from his right hand, the middle one naturally._

"_I'm not afraid of all of you," Vinnie then said as the door opened, the only words I recalled him ever saying. "Trask will come down and hand you the lives you never deserved."_

"_And traitors can die another day," Magneto replied sarcastically, using his powers to push Vinnie out and to close the door behind him (which, by the way, I did not realize had metal in it)._

_Since then, I have yet to sleep except when it was not my turn to watch the group and even then…even then, I am scared and seeing shadows behind my eyelids. Ever since we woke the children and Rogue and Devon up from their restless slumbers, it has been almost nerve-wracking to cross roads I never hope to see again and leave behind a home that was never a home. But so far, as it has been quiet and we've made good timing in the few days and little sleep. Mae, Devon, Rogue and Logan have carried the packs with some clothes and supplies, but not too much. Michael and Devon carried our food and some clean water we've found in the woods and bear their backpacks well. And I walk behind Logan at the head, carrying a growing load that nobody else can imagine._

_Logan just said it's time to take a walk to the border, which is a little bit away. He had Devon and Rogue scout and they've found guards and walls for miles around, but there's a hole somewhere, out by a bridge. Logan thinks we can get past it and work from there. For now, we move and wait for Logan to check the area out before planning._

_I must say though…I think I'm carrying a boy. But I won't tell Logan that yet._


	5. Newer Fights

Deep into the wilderness of what was called Massena, New York, Rogue and Devon led the group to the hole in the wall near the watery border, where a broken-up bridge separated them from Canada. While there had been guards there on both sides of the border in addition to officials from Customs standing around (and appearing oh-so important, Logan saw), they had been busy smoking and drinking as others further down the totem pole labored. Workers dug and worked in the water and around the bridge, moving the mud to finalize the wall issued to be built almost a decade before. Random birds were even being shot at by the guards, who laughed through the haze and joked about dinner being paid for by the backwoods.

Logan growled as he surveyed from atop of a tree. Other than being irritated that the men there obviously did not know how to use their weapons, let alone hunt a supposed wild animal, he was trying to figure out how to get past them without detection. He saw the thin walkway through the bridge and walls, but also that the waters were too crowded and they would be easily caught unless it was dark and less people were there. However, they had to be undetected.

There was enough sightseeing and thinking for now, Logan thought. He climbed down from the tree slowly and quietly and walked the mile back to where the group was. They appeared every bit hopeful, but the grim face Logan had made even the younger ones frown. It was then that he turned to Danielle, who sat with the others, but was wearier. She was resting on a rock and had her head locked in-between her knees, Rogue rubbing her back and whispering some reassuring words of comfort as Mae dug through a pack to find bottled water for her. Daniele appeared tired from all the walking they did, but Logan also smelled that she threw up some ways back without him seeing her.

Danielle was getting too good at hiding things from him, Logan figured out quickly, especially in the months after his return and in the time she spent in that prison. He decided to pick on her later, when they were alone and had the time to chat.

"Can you make thing invisible when you touch them?" Logan asked Danielle, aware that she was paying some attention to him.

Danielle looked up and peered at Logan with annoyed eyes. Of course, she could make things invisible when she turned that way…but she hardly used the ability to begin with. She thought herself more of a great mutant of the mind like the Professor, one who could use her abilities of concentration and intelligence to get through a situation. She hardly used her invisibility, a gift from her father, and never found a way to use it unless she did not want to literally be seen by others. And even then, she always found a way to stay away, using shadows and corners to her advantage.

"With things, yes, but I've never tried people," Danielle admitted weakly, feeling whiny when she said it. It was pathetic, her voice full of complaints left unsaid, and she felt just as childish.

Logan waved his hand in indifference. "How about having Rogue help?"

Rogue's eyes turned round and wide. "Logan, I never –"

"You've been able to strengthen her and she's been the first you haven't tried killing," Logan pointed out crudely in an interruption, recalling their escape from the camp some months ago and the time she healed herself their first night at the mansion. "It's guarded heavily and we need to get across. You and Danielle are our only way to get through that damned bridge you and Devon found. Have any other damn plans, sunshine?"

"Fight out way through?" Devon suggested sarcastically in order to battle back Logan because of Rogue's great embarrassment, fiddling with his walking stick. He still worked on the carvings on it on every rest, but every usage of it always brought ground trembles with it if he was not careful.

And Logan was already seeing a fight coming with Devon to begin with, something he noticed when they came home from the camps. The younger mutant had been _itching_ to get a punch in somewhere, but Logan could barely blame him. With all the bullshit and games he had to deal with back in Kansas for months (along with being taken from the only mother he had after his parents' murder some years before), revenge was something on the mind…but always a dish best served cold, in Logan's book. He would teach Devon that surely, and allow him the time to calculate and plan his anger management in a specific manner.

_But first things first._ They had to get to Canada.

"No, and the reason being we're outnumbered and can't afford to," Logan replied, turning to Devon. "With luck, if Danielle can bring everyone across and Rogue can lend some help, we can cross and move on."

"From here, then what?" Rogue asked, trying to map their progress in her mind.

Logan motioned to Devon for his walking stick so that he could show Rogue and the others his plans. Devon handed over his stick reluctantly, but watched as Logan roughly drew New York state and some of Canada in the dirt, almost to the Pacific Ocean without the other states to the south. Logan then studied his crude map for a moment before drawing a line from a starting point down in Salem Center to where they were, near the border at Massena.

"That's our route," Logan declared, taking one end of the stick from Point A in Salem Center to Point B at Massena. "Now, we need to cross here and get there." Logan then drew another line, this time across what everyone knew as Alberta, Canada, or Point C. "We have maybe a month of walking, if we're lucky."

"Lucky?" Michael asked with an audible gulp, his eyes rounder than Rogue's had been. Riley stood behind his brother, his own eyes questioning the same thing.

"Canada is a cold, cold place, a place of tundra and ice," Devon explained gently, his voice not planning on sugar coating anything. "This time of year, we can get caught in the winter weather, animals, whatever. You have to keep up or die."

Danielle immediately shot Devon an evil eye from her position (Mae doing the same), which told him to stop scaring his younger brothers, even if it was the truth. However, even she knew that it wouldn't have done much good for the eighteen year old that had seen just as much as they had when he was a child. Devon would continue to be pessimistic.

"Ok, ok," Logan said to get everyone's attention once more. "I don't know how many people we can have cross at the same time, but we might need to wait until nighttime to go. We all need to be awake, if we can, as be as quiet as possible."

Logan especially looked at Michael and Riley to emphasize his points. He knew they found it very hard to be silent and still and stay awake at night, but with their lives now on the line, they had to learn and not be protected from the harshness of the trip. He was sometimes regretting taking them to Canada, but had to quell the feelings. He loved them (he wouldn't tell anyone that though), but he did not know what to do with two unruly kids who always had the freedom to run and play until tragedy struck their home again and again.

"What about now?" Rogue asked, motioning to the bridge a mile away.

"We wait," Logan confirmed. "We have a few hours until sundown and maybe an hour before it gets dark. Gather some food if necessary now, but don't make a fire. If you don't know if it's poisonous, leave it. Remember, we're too close and can still be seen, so keep the noise level down and make sure everyone stays in one spot. Stick together if you can."

"And us?" Riley asked, his eyes still full of confusion and misunderstanding. He had no idea that the instructions were for him as well.

"Keep _quiet_ and don't be running around everywhere." Logan was annoyed at repeating himself (he found it worse when Danielle wasn't around, he admitted to himself) and turned back towards the direction of the bridge and then back to Riley, perhaps thinking too much again about what they now had to do. "Stay with your mother, Rogue or Mae. I'll scout some more. If I find a break, we make for it before dark."

"And if they catch you…or us?" Devon asked evilly, taking the walking stick back from Logan in a rude grab.

"I guess we go with your plan, despite the fact that your brothers are under ten, your mother is pregnant and the other two are our only backup," Logan replied without mentioning the gesture, patting Devon on the shoulder and making his way back to his original hiding spot. Later though, he would get back at Devon…and when the kid least expected it.

~00~

It had been a long process to at least get to Texas, but Magneto was a tolerant man and one who enjoyed the warm weather. In all the years he had after the terrible months at the concentration camp and dealing with Shaw, he had learned to keep his counsel until ready, be patient and strike when it was necessary. In the years after that day in Cuba, he worked towards a better tomorrow for mutants, waiting out his time at the Pentagon after being accused of assassinating Kennedy and then escaping again, making himself considered _the_ so-called number one terrorist. Of course, _he_ never thought of it that way, but always thought himself a savior amongst those who sought to undermine who mutants really were.

_Now_…now, he was sitting in the back of a truck in an enemy uniform, with a false ID and gun, feeling every bump from New York onward and planning his own schemes for later. Xavier, who had been seated next to him (minus the wheelchair, hidden behind some supplies), smiled, but it seemed too hopeful for even Magneto. He, unlike Xavier, had been offered so much in the past to compensate the wrongs and placate him too, even as far as being a ruler of a new island found in the Pacific Ocean, but he was now reduced to dirty work, on the run for being the only thing in the world one can be reviled for.

"Don't be so bitter, Erik," Xavier said randomly as he put his own gun down, the words repeated for what seemed like the millionth time in over forty years. "The world has yet to collapse."

"It's on its way there already," Magneto muttered, ignoring the curious glances from a less than mutant Hank (who had found his old serum to make him human), Ororo and Matthew. "I only put stock and value into what I can see and this world has proven to be dystopian already. This Bishop character seems to be genuine to me, if you want to believe that, and would bring us to a better future."

"If he has word of an action that would make it that way," Xavier pointed out softly. "We heard something we wanted to hear, yes, but in order to achieve that, we have to weigh the pros and cons before acting. We cannot trust the word of a mutant so blindly, even one who claims to be part of the future and one who wants to help."

"I would assume rightfully that he's been proven authentic?" Matthew Adams asked from across the elderly mutants as he stretched his legs. "I mean, Danielle and Logan and Roger had rescued him with the rest. When I saw him and we had time to speak, usually at meals, he always spoke of the camp being nothing more than a prelude to worse things, but nothing more."

"He said something about changing a point in time in order to keep balance," Ororo added, now recalling the mutant with the dark skin and braided hair. "He talked to people in the trucks on the way to New York. He was dropped off somewhere in Ohio, along with Kitty Pryde and Bobby Drake."

"And was captured…how again?" Hank asked, rubbing his itchy white skin. He was still unused to being human once more (even temporarily), but in order to keep a low profile, he knew sacrifices had to be made.

"He turned himself in," Magneto said. "He sent word among the channels to meet him in South America. He has information for us."

"What channels?" Hank asked, challenging Magneto openly. "If he was a prisoner, his people would rush to release him from the camp."

Magneto bristled. "And leave behind his other, fledgling group? I wouldn't, even if they were so desperately needed. It's suicide to leave them behind, even if they are weak."

"I would hope this group would assist us as well," Xavier butted in, defusing the hot situation before it became worse. "I hear they have manpower and the will to find the Sentinels and destroy them."

The name of the robots that Trask had made over thirty years ago loomed over everyone's heads. They had been made to capture and sometimes eliminate the mutants. On and off, they have been featured in the fabric of the mutants' struggles, but had become more and more prominent with the emergence of the camps and the Ellis family. Xavier had almost pitied the Ellis males, Leon and Peter Ellis both, who spun their webs around the same woman and lost all in the gamble for their ambitions. While Leon Ellis had been assassinated over a year ago (and confirmed to be by Chameleon's hands, Xavier heard), Peter Ellis was still missing and rumored to be have been killed. Xavier and Magneto both theorized that he made his way back east…and was caught by Apocalypse, who snuck into Trask some years before and only showed his hand when Peter Ellis took over the senator and chairman positions.

_A middle man, indeed…_

Xavier was lost in his thoughts as he heard Roger Mortimer in the front cursing. Roger had been driving and alternating the seat with one of his men, easily getting them through every inspection and riot, but was not always careful. In southern Tennessee, he had run into some trouble with the authorities at a checkpoint and had to rip through the blockade without looking back, later to change the license plates of the vehicle, switch trucks and then do makeup jobs on everyone, including haircuts and hair dyeing. Magneto thought it daring and rash (even if his hair was the dark blonde of his youth), but he was now seeing that it was best in order to survive.

"What now?" Matthew called out nervously, willing himself to not give into his fears.

"Patrols up ahead," Roger called back, trying to appear confident and ready himself for another façade some distance ahead. "Shit…and I don't know if they're ours or theirs."

"What's the plan?" Ororo asked, preparing herself for the worst.

"Let me handle it," Roger confirmed, waving his hand in the window that separated him from the others in the back. "We have nobody behind us. Ahead, there's the unknown called the Mexican border. Keep your heads down, come when I say and protect the Professor."

About two miles later, after Roger declared that they might be in danger, he stopped the truck when ordered to, so they could initially avoid suspicion. He and his extra man got out of their seats and met up with the guards at the US/Mexican border, waving their paper credentials and shouting out they had authorization to cross the border with their men and supplies. While Roger had been nervous at first, he felt at ease with these people with their easy manners, who seemed to be a little young for duties at a dangerous border, especially with so many jumping up and down the long wall.

"Have anything in the back?" one asked Roger, a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes who had a mousy young woman behind him, a gun timidly held in her hands. His own hands seemed iced over with some frost, but it wasn't cold down in Texas…as far as Roger could tell.

"I would say so," Roger replied confidentially, realizing who they ran into. "And I think you better meet with them first."


	6. Border Crossing

_**October 3**_

_It's been a few days since we reached the Canadian border and passed onto foreign grounds, but we're in and we're all safe and sound now. Currently, we are in an abandoned house near the Algonquin Provincial Park in Quebec, our hideaway for a while (and one full of some household items and little food). Logan wanted to rest a few days (a week at the most, I think), getting more supplies for our winter walk and to move on. He's been in town down the hill, bargaining with people with what money I had left. Granted, it's a lot and I brought some, but I left most of the fortune Leon granted me behind, thinking that we cannot carry thousands of dollars with us. I do not need his life insurance money either. It reeked of blood._

_The trip from the border of New York and Canada was nerve-wracking though. We had to wait until dark to cross because there was no way we could do so safely in the daylight. After the workday though, all was quiet. The workers on the bridge stopped and had settled into their tents nearby, laughing and enjoying the rest of the night off, with or without families. The guards continued to shoot at random animals and drink and smoke, but there had been fewer than in the daytime hours. Even the people from Customs stood to the side, tired of their job and wanting to go home and be by a warm fire, but hardly paying attention. All and all, it was pretty deserted and we only had to deal with six sentries on duty, two of them only armed. It was enough for Devon, Mae, Rogue, Logan and I to handle and even then, I didn't have to fight._

_After I had rested enough as I could (and had hissed at Michael and Riley enough times to get back to our small circle), I readied myself. Rogue had come up to me as Devon and Mae went to find Logan, grinning nervously as Michael and Riley squirmed in their stationary spots next to me (threatened by Logan the last time he came by to sit or "else"). Rogue had never found her mutation useful, I'm sure, but after it came back and worse than ever, she had been less than confident. All she wanted to do was touch someone, _anyone_, but she could not, even Bobby, and they (well, Bobby) broke off their fledgling relationship partially because of it (or, so she told me, but I have reason to believe there's more and it involved another girl). Even if Rogue could use her powers with mine and give me added strength because she replicated it, it still gave her nothing to go by, feeling less than special than any other mutant._

"_You think you can do this alone?" Rogue asked me, twisting her hands together in a tangle._

"_Probably," I replied, trying to calm her fears with an invisible touch to her cheek. "But I won't know how long I can hold. My father…"_

_And it was there that I stopped and my touch with it. I never talked about my father, Chameleon, that much, and felt it a slip of the tongue when I mentioned him. He's been a figure that I want to despise, somebody I could blame all my troubles on…but even I cannot do that to my father, even if he almost killed me many times over. He had lost himself to his demons, caught himself in the worst troubles that anyone could imagine and has been picking sides for almost four decades, since after he was discharged from the Army. I could not understand the dynamics of the man and chose not to, even at this late point. However, I still feel so conflicted over him killing my husband. I don't know if I should thank him or ignore him, as I always had done._

"_Your father…?" Rogue asked, confused when I did not finish my sentence._

_I smiled sadly, feeling it wash over me briefly. "Nothing. It was just something I was thinking about, something going on longer than you've been alive."_

_Rogue nodded, but she did not understand. I don't think she ever will._

"_What if we're seen?" she then asked me, her white and brown head motioning to Michael and Riley beside us squirming. "We've been lucky so far."_

"_Don't jinx it," I warned in a whisper, eying the mile-away situation. "I don't want to think about failure."_

"Too_ lucky," Rogue reminded me, emphasizing the point. Her tone of voice reminded me of Devon too much, which was making me think that the two in each other's company and would also explain why they had been close lately._

_I was very happy to see Mae and Devon reappear with Logan a short time later, before I could answer Rogue. The three were grim, but Logan's face betrayed nothing but determination. He held his hand out to me. I took it gently, standing up and using my powers to become invisible. It took a lot of concentration to get a little more energy (it usually did, more so than using my telepath powers), but I managed to get Logan to disappear like I did. However, it did not last long. Logan easily came back into view and I with him._

"_Rogue?" Logan waved her on, to come forward and give a boost. Rogue was timid, taking my other hand and a deep breath as well. I took Logan's hand again and we disappeared together. This time, I felt Rogue's powers flow in and out, giving me a might I never knew I had._

_I cut the powers and we all came back. "I think you have your answer," I said to Logan in so few words._

"_How many do you think we can do?" he asked, curious._

"_With you, it was easy," Rogue explained for me, directing her answer to Logan. "However, I don't know how long I can take this either. We might need to take this a little bit at a time, sugar."_

_I agreed. "There's no other way. Kids stay with any adult, Rogue and Devon too if it can be helped."_

_Devon was about to protest, but Logan held up his hand, a change I noticed instead of his usual blunt force. "Backs need to be covered. No ifs or buts about it."_

"_Says you and what army?" Devon asked sarcastically, obeying Logan reluctantly and awaiting further instructions, sulking as he did._

"_Because I've been through more wars in anyone's lifetime, kid, and you haven't seen anything yet, even in that camp you were slammed into," Logan muttered to himself, sighing. He then silently told me through our link to start with him and go back for a child, an adult, child, etc, and make it a pattern._

You know I'm afraid._ I admitted as much to Logan when I grabbed his hand._

Don't be. _Logan was confident, but even inside, he had the same doubts as I did, but they were well hidden._

I can't help it, Logan. I've been scared.

_Logan said nothing more to me, not even giving me some nonverbal reassurance. At his signal, I grabbed Rogue once more and then him. Carefully, we walked, but with a self-assured motion through the wood and onto the thin beam. Logan went first, then me and Rogue, and we went across the narrow way through the waterway and to the other side. Logan then led us a few miles into the border, stopping at a rundown hut he probably remembered from years past. He then pulled his hand away from mine and we all reappeared suddenly, exposed like the thieves that we were._

"_Go back," Logan instructed. Rogue grabbed my hands again and we disappeared, heading back the same way we came and instead grabbing Riley._

_Riley thought the adventure was grand and being invisible was fun. We reached Logan and Riley immediately ran inside the hut, nimble as ever. Logan hissed that he better stay low and hidden. He then eyed me and Rogue, his face telling us to get an adult so he could stand as sentry. We grabbed Mae that time, then Michael, while seeing Logan climb a tree with a weapon from a pack. Devon was the last one in our group, alone and the odd one out (and itching for a fight, I felt). Rogue grabbed his hand and off we went, but I did not expect trouble up ahead. We had it too easy taking the others from one side to the other, but I didn't think that Customs would have some Trask device that would detect mutants._

_Halfway through the bridge, a guard stepped in the middle of our pathway, holding a gun in his hands. "Halt," he commanded, his aim at my belly…and the baby._

"_Do as he says, mutant." Another guard came behind him, balancing on the beam. "We don't want to hurt you. We just want to know why you're here."_

_I had no choice, sensing a trap either way. I closed the link with Rogue and Devon and we reappeared. The two guards stared at us for a moment, shocked to see three mutants instead of one, and then started laughing almost simultaneously. One of them pointed at the absurdity of what appeared to be an older woman pregnant (I had yet to get all of the white out of my hair yet) and two younger mutants being ferried with me. We were an unlikely trio, I'll give you that, but the delay was costing us time and possibly a separation._

_I briefly raked my eyes to the trees. Logan was seeing this…and was surely looking for a good shot. I turned my eyes back to the guards quickly before they noticed something and smiled along with them, like what they were seeing was funny too._

_After a minute or so, the guards stopped their merriment and were serious. "What brings you here, mutant?" Guard One asked, his tone of voice bordering on the demanding._

"_Taking a stroll," I replied, glancing behind me. "I didn't think it was illegal yet."_

"_Didn't you read the news lately?" Guard Two asked in a condescending manner. "Ellis family already initiated the border closings and that was almost ten years ago. Special permission needs to be granted to get across here."_

"_Oops…guess we didn't know," Devon chimed in, suddenly swinging up with his gun and shooting Guard One in the arm and then Guard Two in the leg, to disable them._

_And that was when all hell broke loose._

"_Now, a cover!" Rogue yelled, grabbing onto me and then Devon. I reached deep inside of myself and formed a shield, to keep anything outside there and anything inside going out, if it needs to. When the guards had dropped into the water, the three of us ran for the woods without seeing the damage, only stopping to keep out of the way of Logan's shooting._

_And I have to admit, Logan's a pretty good shot. As soon as the commotion started, he started bringing down men one by one until they realized that there was possibly an army out there to get them, even if it was just Logan shooting. I was protecting Devon as much as I could, but even he could not resist popping out a shot or two…until I gave him a warning look. He stopped at my silent command, but the thirst inside was real. He had wanted his revenge and gotten it when he could, but it was slowly consuming him, waxing and waning whenever the situation called it. I then understood that I had no idea what to do with that desire of his either…and had no way to stop it._

_Soon enough, the party was over. When the coast was clear, Rogue, Devon and I ran into the woods and met Logan as he jumped down from the tree. I released the shield and fell into his waiting arms. I felt my heart pounding into my chest, harder and harder…almost as painful as the day we escaped the prison less than a month before, the thrill of the chase behind us and lurking in the dark shadows. I knew we were safe for the most part, but we still had to keep moving, even if my body said I was too tired, my mind cried out for sleep and my baby kicked me in rage._

_Logan then helped me stand up, glancing at every face as he did and still holding me in his arms. "We move _now_," he declared. "It won't be long before someone comes by and sees us again."_

_I saw nods all around, Devon included. His blood thirst had been quenched…for now._

_Half carrying me as I walked (with Mae on my other side criticizing my actions), Logan led us north to where we are now, treacherous, unrelenting and unmerciful, survival traits I remember in him from years before I existed. Although we had been alternatively sleeping by day and running by night, there had been no true respite, even with the pace Logan set. Staying near the national park had been a cover and it might be again when we leave. Logan reassured and promised me that the kids were safe to run as they willed here and they wouldn't be spotted. Out in the valley, where the abandoned house stood, I would believe that._

_We are safe for the time being. Daylight shines inside from the tiny window in this bedroom and I can see the kids play together, Devon included in Michael and Riley's little games. Logan is hunting and nearby, but I can't tell where he is without stretching my limits. And now, Mae and Rogue are knocking on the door, asking for entry when privacy is the least of my worries._

_We still have a long way to go, I'm figuring…and a long journey ahead, if we are to succeed._


	7. Humane and Warlike

Bobby and Kitty managed to get the group just past the Texas/Mexico border and into Customs, a building that housed the guards and officials that made sure the wall between the two countries stood and did not have unwanted people coming in and out. While Roger had been more than relieved to have found friends instead of enemies (and less people on their tail, he hoped), he was still very wary, especially of those he found. He guided the truck into the parking lot as ordered by Bobby and Kitty, instructed to wait until dark and interact as little as possible as they sat there. Indeed, not accustomed to be being told what to do by youngsters, Roger seethed in his seat and counted the hours, hot sweat running down his face as he and his man exchanged nothing but signals displaying impatience.

In the back, the others seemed less worrisome, but watchful too. Roger studied them through the back glass window that separated him from the others and noted a sudden change. Magneto had been smiling the whole time, but was also unused to being told what to do, just as Roger was. Xavier was just as relieved as Roger was too, but amused in his own manner and talking quietly with the others in turn. Ororo kept to herself, glancing out the back of the truck here and there, watching the other officials carefully and not seeming to trust the situation much. Matthew Adams seemed very surprised to find people he was campmates with, but was patiently (as always, unlike Roger) figuring out the next step, twirling his gun in his hands as his face showed him thinking. Hank McCoy, the politician of the bunch, quietly took out a newspaper that was earlier tossed into the truck, reading silently the news. What was on the outside world, Hank wasn't sharing, but it was enough to raise an eyebrow and show Xavier, the two shaking slightly.

Roger had enough (and hoping Hank and Xavier did not know what happened overseas, hearing the story as he did around him). By the time the sun was going down, Bobby and Kitty were approaching the truck, but they were drawn back, seeing Roger's foul mood. It was one thing to be on a mission and miss his family. It was another to make him play the wait game and play by _their_ rules.

"Anywhere we can talk alone?" Roger asked Bobby, his snarling tone enough to make Kitty dodge behind Bobby and hide.

"I have a bedroom I share with another guard and Kitty has the same arrangement, but otherwise, no," Bobby answered coolly, without a show of his temper. "You can drive me down the road and we can talk, but that'll raise some suspicion, since your paperwork is still being looked over. You can't leave here now anyway."

"Back of the truck then," Roger then ordered in an imperialist tone, pushing the vehicle door open and jumping out. His man remained inside on watch, but eyed Roger as he stormed to the back of the truck, Bobby and Kitty behind him anxiously.

As soon as Roger climbed onto the truck bed, everyone's eyes lit up and they all greeted Bobby and Kitty warmly. While Kitty smiled weakly and waved, Bobby answered for them in a voice that gained respect and command. Roger did not like it, but conceded to being careful in their talk nonetheless. All ears seem to be on these two new people and the truck they pulled over. Roger was sure they had their superiors on the lookout, so had to make this quick and easy. He had no time to play any more games with these two.

Kitty and Bobby found a seat in-between Xavier and Magneto, as the two moved over and Hank walked across the truck to sit with Matthew and Ororo. Roger continued to stand in a stubborn manner, but crossed his arms instead, to show how pissed he really was. He stared at Kitty and Bobby for a few seconds, making the former squirm in fear, and started.

"We have no time," Roger said, stating the obvious. "We have papers to get through the country and another set to get to South America. What's the holdup?"

"Suspicions from those above us," Bobby answered. "Every truck has been told to sit for at least a day or two before every background check has been cleared. Sometimes, it's longer when nothing can be found."

"That's our job," Kitty continued. "We stop all vehicles, check their paperwork and research their intentions and why they want to go south. If they check out, they leave in a day. If not, we do additional work to ensure that they were heading where they're supposed to. That might take weeks sometimes."

"A bureaucratic process, you mean," Magneto interjected in a deadpan manner.

Bobby blinked a few times. "Yes…yes, I would say that."

"But we've ensured that your business was legitimate and you have been chosen to switch out guards in the Brazilian camp," Kitty went on. "You can go ahead to Mexico and South America, but there will be people who will follow you to Brazil."

"Now, wouldn't be it nice if you two came along?" Roger asked sarcastically.

"I'm working on it," Bobby explained, annoyed that Roger wasn't giving him a chance to speak much. "We have three others who are willing to work with us and they're on the way to Brazil already. They heard about Bishop and his prison group and then realized that more help was on the way. However, we need to move quicker than even Magneto wants to us."

Magneto raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Camp X-Ray, which was recently said to be established even before the Kansas camp, has been found," Bobby continued in a hushed tone. "It's located in Guantanamo Bay, where they keep the usual human terrorists anyway. It has been kept so secret that even the Ellis family did not breathe word of it. They were so intent on focusing on the United States that they did not care about the Cuban camp after they had it built…nor did they bother putting their famous mutants in there until recently. Camp X-Ray was usually used when they found mutants they considered a threat overseas, usually in American held lands."

"In recent days, Camp X-Ray has been filling up more often," Kitty added. "The United States has just recently made an agreement with Cuba, the first concerning mutants this time. They are to hand over any dangerous mutants…or have them executed."

"The cure has been a forgone thing for them," Ororo replied to this news. "But _execution_? On what grounds do they have?"

"What do you think?" Magneto asked her. "We are _different_ from them, a superior species."

Xavier gave Magneto a warning glance before turning to Bobby and Kitty next to him. "And what does Bishop have to do with this?"

"He was originally a part of Camp X-Ray," Bobby confirmed. "He was one of the first prisoners, back in 2000 or 2001 maybe. From his journey from the future to there, he said, he wanted to ensure that all mutants knew what was coming…and what to do to avoid it. Afterward, he had escaped, but has been keeping track of the new developments of the early twenty-first century before he turned himself in and was sent to Kansas. He was assisted out of the camp and has been busy ever since."

"And now he's in Brazil," Xavier said softly. "But why?"

"I don't know," Kitty admitted. "But he's been right so far about the future. When we were in that camp, before the rules became stricter, Bishop was known as a preacher of some sort. He told everyone quietly of a future without meaning, without freedom and without peace of mind. However, as the loop tightened, he whispered through the barracks' holes that it was getting worse…and this was only the beginning. He spoke of a man who could practically live forever, one who might be able to change the past…in order for us to have a better future."

"But there is no way to change the future," Xavier chided, the same words he told Danielle some days before.

"There might be." Kitty shuffled her feet for a moment before standing up to get everyone's attention, but addressing Xavier specifically nonetheless. "Professor, I meant to tell you this before, some years before, but there was never a chance to because of events beyond our control. Other than running through walls and floors and dodging projectiles, I can also bring people back in time, maybe a week or two at the most now."

"Their consciousness can be sent back to their body some days in the past," Bobby explained when Kitty became modest about her new ability. "From there, the future can be changed."

"Impossible," Roger declared loudly, his arms uncrossed to show that he was relenting…but not giving up his fight.

"A useful tool and power, I'd say," Matthew chimed in. "Think about it, Roger. A lookout sees something, delays, and then Kitty can bring someone to the past and they can warn the group and they can move."

"And what would you know?" Roger's nostrils flared in anger.

"It's something we can explore later, if possible," Xavier butted in, again trying to defuse an argument and expressing doubt in his voice. "I appreciate you telling us, Kitty. We can discuss this when we have time."

Kitty nodded. Bobby then stood up, taking her hand and rubbing it with his thumb. The two seemed to be a pair, Xavier noted, and he did not notice it before. He remembered that Bobby and Rogue had been a couple and were having troubles because Rogue was incapable of touch without trying to kill someone. However, in his absence, he had missed many things, events that changed around without him there to mediate each party. While he felt for Rogue in many ways, he felt great love and protection come from Bobby to Kitty, in such a fierce way that it even encompassed his relationship with Rogue.

"We need to go," Bobby announced, starting to leave with Kitty still holding his hand. "We have guest rooms for you all. Just ask the commander of Customs where you can bunk."

"And how will they tell we're not mutants?" Matthew asked, aware that they were being watched regardless and were having lucky misses.

"Don't use your powers," Kitty warned, the notion sounding too easy. "Trask has things here that can pinpoint where the powers are and which person used them."

"They also have collars they'll put on you," Bobby warned as he jumped off the back of the truck, Kitty behind him. "They like using them on prisoners."

The group watched Kitty and Bobby disappear, mingling with thousands of other people who worked at the borders or were their guests. While it was a tense conversation, there had been factors that all of them had not considered. There were more camps than even Danielle had not seen…there had been things Trask had been building and not willing to use until they had to shown their hands…a mutant had powers not imaginable…and this Bishop character was becoming more and more mysterious. Bobby and Kitty seemed to be wary of him and saw the truth he spoke, Xavier noted, but they found his words to be of the future. However, even he was starting to doubt Magneto and thinking that this was a trip not worth it.

_We can still meet Logan in the middle though, even if Erik has his own plans. If Logan can manage to cooperate with the Canadian Defense Ministry, we might have some work cut out for us. He has his troubles with them in the past, but if this is the future we are about to save, then it is best to work with the people willing to make it better._

Xavier had no doubt that Logan would give his old superiors (and some of their successors) a hard time. However, if they had the assistance they needed, and Xavier found Bishop and this group of his usable, two fronts can be formed. And that, Xavier thought, might be the start of _their_ war, the beginning of many battles worldwide to get reorganization that mutants too are like humans…and would not be the enemies they were painted as.

While Xavier admitted that maybe some of Magneto's methods had been right and perhaps the only way at times, he still begged himself inside to keep humane. He talked when he could, was able to keep some conflict away, but it wasn't always working. It was then that Xavier wished Alex Summers to be here with them. While his much younger brother, Scott, was dead like Alex was (and a great leader of the X-Men too), Xavier still longed for Alex's reassuring presence and his ways of handling situations like this. Matthew Adams had been good substitute – ex-military, patient and even bitter inside – but it was not the same friend that Xavier picked up to initially form the X-Men.

"So, what was it that you read in the newspaper, Hank?" Ororo finally asked after some moments of silence, a quiet in which even Xavier found a little unsettling. "It seemed a bit important."

While Ororo tried to make the situation a little light and chuckled nervously too, Xavier could not find his voice. The article Hank showed him was disturbing indeed and he did not feel that it was his place to say anything, especially when they had more important things to think about. He turned to Hank, hoping that the mutant would say something, but he uncomfortably scratched his arm again, muttering something about his blue fur growing out and needing to take his serum soon.

"What was that, Hank?" Matthew asked again, louder this time. "Is there something wrong?"

Hank said nothing for a while, hoping that everyone would stop asking him what happened in the news, but there was no avoiding it. He pulled his glasses up, hoping to hide the distress on his face, but there was no easy way to tell the news. Xavier wasn't going to say anything. It was up to him to let the others know.

"England…England has fallen," Hank admitted, his words feeling flat and stable, even for his shaking body. "Between England, Ireland and Scotland, all of the registered and known mutants have been rounded up…and killed. It was a…a horrible mistake."

"What do you mean, Hank?" Ororo asked fearfully. "It's a tragedy. How was it a _mistake_?"

"Anything like that is a mistake," Roger clarified, trying not to interrupt anymore…and not willing to say any more of the news he too heard.

"Because it wasn't just a mass murder," Hank explained, trying to keep his voice steady. "There was a human found dead and mutants were blamed. So, they gathered the mutants together, dragged them from their homes….and they killed them. It was a rape, a rape of an island nation."

* * *

**Some of the information above can be referenced in the _X-Men: Days of Future Past_ website called "Twenty-Five Moments". Although a lot of my ideas come from that, some of it has been mixed up, so I do ask for _some_ creative liberty. :)**


	8. A Familiar Name

They were supposed to be leaving that morning, after a hopeful night of restful slumbers for everyone, but Danielle had woken up in the middle of the night in pain and feeling that she was going to hold them back even more. She felt contractions stab her first in the lower back and then around her abdomen, coming faster and faster, with the baby gripping onto the inside. She bit her lips and tried not to cry out, tossing and turning in discomfort in the bed, but Logan had woken up by then and saw what happened quickly, smelling the blood on the bed. While he called out for Mae and then had reassured her with words she couldn't remember, he was quickly kicked out of the bedroom by Mae and soon pacing outside the door anxiously.

By dawn, Mae had done the best she could to calm Danielle and prevent her premature labor, but realized that stress and hard walking was the factors for the near close call. Danielle was then sentenced to bed for a few days, but even Mae was seeing that it was dangerous for the rest of the group. She could not tell who was out there watching them, even if Logan told her it was safe here, but there had to be a way for them to keep going and have Danielle travel with them too, but she was not seeing a rational way.

By then, Logan had told the others they were staying a while more to try to calm his nerves and keep out of Mae's way (much as he would have loved to be there, oddly enough). By the time he came back though, having ordered Rogue and Devon to keep Michael and Riley preoccupied for a few more hours, Mae was at the bedroom door, wiping her bloodied hands with a towel nearby. Logan ran over to her as she dropped the towel on the floor, almost plowing her over in his eagerness to see Danielle, but he managed to keep himself cool and composed, asking Mae how Danielle and the baby were.

"Alive," Mae confirmed happily. "However, there is something we need to discuss."

Logan cocked his head to one side, interested.

"Danielle is stressed," Mae said bluntly. "She can't keep up with your pace. We have to make a decision now on whether we should stay here or carry her or leave her here and move on."

Nodding, Logan realized what Mae meant. They could stay here and risk their necks, travel with Danielle and maybe have her become a larger liability or split up their group and maybe never see each other for months. It was a tough decision…and one Logan did not like making. His heart felt like it was breaking, seeing that he might never see Danielle until after their baby was born, and that was months yet. And who knew if she could find him again? Who knew if they would be alive then?

Too many questions swirled in Logan's mind. There were too many possibilities and he had no clear answer. He had to see Danielle, quiet his mind…and make a decision soon. He wasn't sure if people had caught onto them yet (he had seen, heard and sensed none around for miles so far), but he still felt safer to keep moving and try and avoid traveling in the winter storms. He knew the way to Alberta and had done the trip many times before, but it was different for Logan than for the others. He had to consider women, children, two young adults and his pregnant mate, who was slowly getting sicker. The time of the year was just a bonus.

"I'll see my wife now and make a decision soon," Logan promised quickly, feeling his slip just after he announced his intentions. He saw amusement on Mae's face, ignored it with a slightly red face, and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind him with a loud thud.

Danielle had her back to Logan, moaning softly and trying to sleep off the morning. But the overwhelming smell of blood surrounded her and it almost choked him, the sheets on her side covered with the telltale signs of her ordeal. Her body was shaking slightly, but she was trying hard to be still. Logan went around the bed and gently went to his side, climbing into the bed and crawling under the covers with Danielle. He took her into his arms and held her despite the blood, but felt nothing back from her until she let her mind loose and allowed him to feel her pain. Tiredness and aches mostly radiated from Danielle, but there was naught else.

An hour later, after trying to keep Danielle calm too, Logan drifted off to sleep with her, his dreams taunted by past events, mostly of war and rape, things that made his skin and mind crawl. However, he soon felt Danielle stir and woke up immediately, shaking off a memory of him and Victor in Europe in 1917, shooting down German pilots from the trenches. When he did feel he was back in the present, Logan faced Danielle's red eyes, in them the same sadness as the day he sat in the CRV with her when she was pregnant with Riley and they had just met. A random and rare tear went down her face, but Logan wiped it away before she broke down further.

"I'm so sorry," Danielle whispered as her eyes turned back to normal, wincing in pain. "Leave. Leave without me. Mae and I can catch up."

The face Danielle gave Logan was almost enough to make him want to say yes to her and to depart like she ordered. He had the rest of the group to consider, especially since they illegally came into the country and could be seen soon. However, breaking them apart even further was going to create newer problems. The children needed her. _He_ needed her, mostly to keep Devon in check. Even Rogue needed her in her own way and it wasn't just for self-esteem either.

"Not yet," Logan replied, unsure himself of why he said it. "I think we have some time yet."

Danielle shook her head left and right quickly, but Logan wasn't having any of it. "I'll scout the area," he promised her. "If I see anything that endangers us, we'll talk about it later. Rest now. Ok?"

There was no choice. Danielle nodded her head this time, feeling that notion of Logan's was foolish, and felt him slowly slip away from her. He got up from the bed, tucking her back in like a child, and left the room. Danielle soon drifted back to sleep within seconds, but was woken up when someone else entered the room. It wasn't the children, for they were noisier and would have jumped on her by now. She opened her eyes to a blurry world, but only saw a white streak of hair in the corner of her eyes.

_Rogue?_

The effort to send a message through her mind weakened Danielle more, but it surprised the young adult. Rogue shook in a brief fright, but managed to keep her cool. She climbed onto the bed, but stayed on Logan's side where there was less blood, watching Danielle adjust her vision and face her properly. When Danielle managed a smile, she saw that Rogue would not return it. Something was bothering the young adult and Danielle was hell-bent on finding out what was going on.

"Where is everybody?" Danielle first croaked out, her throat unused to talking and wanting some water. "I thought you all would have left by now."

"Logan is still out," Rogue confirmed, drawing her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around her legs. "He's been gone for hours, sugar. I don't know when he'll be back."

Danielle's heart dropped, but she wasn't surprised. Logan was determined to stick together no matter what, but she was seeing that he was too stubborn to leave her behind.

"So, we have time to chat a little," Danielle rasped, motioning to Rogue to get her some water. Rogue then unwrapped herself and ran from the bedroom, returning quickly with a glass pitcher of half-frozen water and a glass. She poured Danielle some water and handed it to her from Logan's side of the bed, helping her gently swallow it.

"What do you mean?" Rogue then asked when she pulled the glass from Danielle. "We have no time to talk."

"Yes, we do." Danielle slowly sat up in the bed, feeling her baby (as well as her body) protest greatly. "We have plenty of it. Logan has been out for a while, you pointed out. If he's doing it thoroughly, of which I know he is, then he won't be back until after dark. And, by the way you've entered and without tagalongs, I figured Devon and Mae are preoccupied with Michael and Riley."

Rogue nodded.

"So, we have all the time in the world," Danielle pointed out again. "Tell me about what's been on your mind."

Rogue was still for a moment, unable to tell Danielle anything. She didn't think her depression was _that_ noticeable, even after her stay in the camp, but people always chalked it up to her being stressed about the mutant issues except those involved with her drama, who knew the truth and cast their noses down on her. However, even she knew that Danielle was able to know something by touch. She tired and frail now, yes, but with some effort, Rogue was sure she would see everything anyway.

"Bobby," Rogue admitted immediately.

Danielle said nothing, but willed Rogue to go on. There was more to the story and it had been carried around for a long time, like a huge weight on Rogue's shoulders. It had taken time to heal some wounds, but she did not think that Rogue had closed all of them.

"I thought things would be better if I took the cure and I could…well, _touch_ him," Rogue started slowly, vaguely. "I didn't want to be a freak anymore and I wanted to be…well, a normal person. I didn't want to be the one mutant people always pointed at, even at a mutant school, and get whispered about…how my mutation was useless…how I could never amount to anything. But Bobby made me special, the only person who truly did."

"You did many brave things," Danielle said. "Without you, people would have died."

Rogue knew that Danielle was referring to Alkali Lake and piloting the jet improperly, but she waved that away. "People thought I was a traitor, even if they overlooked Bobby trying to find me and staying in the crowds. They took advantage of me taking the cure and told Bobby many things about me, things I could not deny because they all twisted it and it make sense in his mind anyway. And behind my back, Kitty, who I thought was my friend, started playing with Bobby's feelings, and was egged on by Jubilee, who I thought was my friend too. Kitty was insecure, you know. She missed her home and her family and how things used to be. Her family casted her out and she hasn't been able to really contact them ever since. At least her parents still talked with her, unlike mine."

Danielle nodded. It was mostly the same, sad story with many people when they came to Xavier's school.

"Bobby was always a knight in shining armor to me," Rogue continued in a dreamy tone before realizing what she was saying. She then took on a more serious voice. "He took Kitty on and started seeing her more and more, ignoring me even after I came back and could touch him, begging him to come back and see me. But…but that cure didn't last either, I saw. About a few weeks later, I noticed that I was starting to feel others' powers when I touched them. I started to panic. It was coming back, the cure was a sham and I had done all that for Bobby…and it was for _nothing_. My reputation was in ruins."

Rogue's eyes were now full of tears and Danielle was now regretting opening her old wounds, but she knew that it had to be done. "Bobby ignored me more and more," Rogue added. "He claimed, when he talked to me, that things were ok, but they weren't. People started leaving me, ostracizing me for wanting human touch. It wasn't until the Professor was said to have been vaporized and dead…and Ms. Grey and Mr. Summers being dead too…that people would talk to me. But it wasn't to be a friend. It was because I was a mutant too and I was another body for the fight."

"And all those times we had meetings or we assigned groups, this was why you did not speak and just listened," Danielle observed. "You trusted very few people and did not want to add fuel to the fire already made."

Rogue nodded, a tear going down her face. "I liked Hank McCoy. He understood where I came from and watched us often enough. Ms. Munroe understood and said that she thought of me no differently. But the others…they wouldn't talk to me really, not until they dropped us off in Kansas. When we thought everything was lost, it was then that Peter and Kitty and Bobby and all of them started talking to me again, because we were in the same barracks and had no choice. I was friends with Blink too, but even Kitty pulled her away from me. Although she was unable to use her powers until she was stuck with a collar, we always thought of ways to escape and we almost did too, had not some politician gotten assassinated. Jubilee, who was sent down with us and even trashed this politician, was transferred to another camp and nobody has seen her since."

_Leon._ Danielle immediately knew the date and why someone would be sent away.

"I guess it was an uneasy peace afterward," Rogue said, her story shortened mostly because of emotion and the inability to want to go back to those horrors. "I mean, Bobby and I and everyone seemed to be friends again, but I sensed something underneath, like they still didn't trust me. When you all helped us escape, it was a relief to be freed from the people who hated you. I'm very glad you took me along."

"You needed a change of scenery anyway and had a chance of starting anew." Danielle was quiet, thinking too. "But why didn't you tell anyone this, Rogue? It would have explained a lot about the tension and drama at the mansion after you came back. Nobody would have faulted you for trying to do something right in your life."

"Why would anyone listen to a traitor?" Rogue asked her, the word hanging over their heads. "Would you?"

"After being called that so many times, yes," Danielle replied. "Don't you remember? After I married Leon Ellis, you think mutants didn't think I was one, a traitor? Scott Summers always liked to call me one and often in front of many people. Jean had to put a stop to it."

It took Rogue a minute to ponder that conundrum, but a noise at the door at the front of the house attracted her attention more, something to keep her mind away from the problems she's had. "I think that's Logan," she said, avoiding the topic. "I'll check it out and tell him to come in here when he's done with the kids."

Danielle smiled assent and watched Rogue leave. Indeed, Logan was back after some hours of scouting, she felt. Danielle wasn't going to butt in while he was talking with the others and risk feeling more tired, but she was curious about many things, Rogue most especially. She and Rogue had many things in common, this recent one the most intriguing of all. The two had been named traitors by who were supposed to care, but yet had stories that told a different tale and someone who always had their back. Danielle _hoped_ that Rogue was seeing it that way, that she had her back, but knowing that her self-worth meant nothing, it would be difficult to help heal Rogue.

Indeed, with so much going on and their lives at stake, it would be more complicated than ever. Things were getting hairier, Danielle noticed. It won't be long before something else happened, something that would break their luck even more.


	9. Shadowy Doubts and Regrets

_**October 10**_

_I must write quickly, for we are leaving in a few precious moments. It's been over a week since we arrived here at the abandoned house without commotion, but our luck has changed. Although I am not healed and my body is still shaking, I have decided to move on with the others and hope for the best. Sentinels have been spotted some miles from here and are on their way north towards us. Logan is now directing us to the woods of the national park, where they can't find us, we hope. I pray (if there is someone up there to answer them) that we are not caught._

~00~

It was a long ride already, but Kitty did not mind, with all the quiet it gave her. Although happy to be with Bobby at least, she was anxious to get their mission over with and talk with Bishop about his true intentions. Their superiors at the border had agreed they could go ahead to Brazil and make sure the company went to their intended destination, but they had been wary of Roger and the others. It was a mixed group, they thought, and far too suspicious. Four of them seemed too old (one of them disabled and in a wheelchair) and the woman was out of place, they said bluntly. Only a couple of them seemed to fit, so they conceded to Bobby and Kitty going ahead and reporting back to them via radio contact when they could.

The back was of the truck was a bumpy ride and the days and nights cloudy and hot lately, but Kitty was comfortable with her head on Bobby's shoulder. He was sleeping, the night already long and stretching out before them, but even he could not know of her deepest fears and regrets. He sensed that she had been upset for some time, even before the events of Alcatraz, but events beyond her control have shaped her life…and perhaps created that new mutation of hers as well.

Kitty remembered her earliest days before she morphed into a mutant, the happy times with her parents as an only child and a baseball fan and animal lover. She remembered seeing the Chicago Cubs many times with her father, cheering and once catching a home run ball in the back row with him carrying her on his shoulders. She was gifted, even sent away to a school that would cater to her intelligence. She was an expert dancer, mostly with ballet (she could hardly admit that today), was a genius computer hacker like many her age and knew many languages, including Russian, Hebrew (her family had been Jewish and taught her early on), German and some sects of Japanese. _Then_, when she was a child and blissful and carefree, she was called Katherine Anne Pryde, the greatest delight and joy of her parents and a greater lover of cats.

But it all changed in a blink of an eye. When she was thirteen and her family had been living in Deerfield, Illinois, Kitty remembered having headaches, most of them confining her to her room and never ceasing. It wasn't until some days later, when she had missed so much time at school and no doctor could help her, that she realized that she had the ability to pass through anything solid – walls, beds, floors, anything she could think of – and that her parents did not appreciate it. When they saw her running through her bedroom wall to the kitchen, screaming that she was a freak, they knew that something was horribly wrong…and that her mother felt all the blame.

When her parents found out that she was truly a mutant, they were devastated and could not accept who she was. They schemed at night to send her away to another school to keep the shame away from the family (many Jewish families not tolerant of mutants to begin with), but her father had been against it and tried another route (like, keeping her homeschooled). Kitty decided to take the decision into her own hands. Leaving a farewell note late one night, she ran away, making her own way in the world without her life being decided for her. It wasn't until a month later that Ororo Munroe picked her up…and started a pleasant student/teacher friendship that lasted them a long time.

Kitty had been in contact with her parents sometimes, telling them how wonderful she felt and what she was learning at Xavier's school. She even informed them of where she currently was when she was picked up and how great it was. Sometimes, she received a letter or two, maybe a Christmas package when her parents felt generous, but nothing more. The most precious thing she managed to keep was her Cubs hat and jersey (sent by her father), which she now had left behind at the school the day Leon Ellis and his cronies took over the mansion, on a hot July day over a year ago.

Capture made Kitty feel lonely, but the best memories she hugged closely. Being at the school made her feel like she _belonged _somewhere, like she was meant to be there. There were always people willing to be a friend and understand what it was like to be rejected or someone to lend an ear. But the toughest test Kitty ever had was with Bobby and Rogue…and she felt like she was in the middle of that, even if she felt it wasn't her fault and circumstances went beyond her control.

In the beginning, when Rogue came to the school with Logan, it was well known that Bobby loved her dearly and was willing to make her happy. But their main frustration was that Rogue couldn't touch anyone because of her mutation, on orders of the Professor, and it was difficult for them both to get close. A couple of years later, when that horrible cure was available, Rogue took the first chance she could at becoming normal. She wanted to _be_ with Bobby and to touch him, have an ordinary relationship with him, but things went out of control. After the chaos at Alcatraz and the cleanup they did to ensure relations were not uneasy between mutants and humans, Bobby came back to the mansion to find Rogue a human…and very much able to touch him without killing him.

That hurt him, Bobby admitted to Kitty. While it was infuriating not being able to get close to someone, he found Rogue different than ever before, desperate and grasping at straws to be with him. And in-between all this, Bobby was noticing Kitty more than ever before, although Peter Rasputin had before and advanced little in his actions (barely making it to first base, Kitty had thought). Kitty had wanted to be left alone, to feel as if she alone could understand the pain of her life, but Bobby had almost pushed himself in.

Kitty had been very troubled then, she remembered, missing Illinois, ice skating, the Cubs and even her parents. A letter from her parents at the time even urged her to take the cure, but Kitty was upset that they suggested it, even after years of telling them how happy she was at the school. Bobby saw this, iced over the fountain for her to go skating…sent her flowers from the gardens…took her to McDonald's down the road when the food was getting too healthy…and it became a relationship almost. They got closer and closer to each other and Bobby was slowly ignoring Rogue like the others, conflicted over her actions as they fought Magneto in what they hoped to be a last stand.

Before Kitty knew it, Bobby has asked her to be his girlfriend and Peter has backed away from her for good, but remaining a good friend. Bobby said little of Rogue, only stating that they were done and that her powers had returned as well as his feelings on it, but rumors had swirled over them about Rogue. Although Jubilee had been Rogue's friend at first (and even jokingly said that Logan was a strange kind of mutant), she was saying vicious things about her, adding that Rogue was a traitor to mutants and that she had revealed secrets about the school as she was taking her cure.

"She was no friend to mutants," Jubilee said, her words fueled on by others saying the same things about lost and lonely Rogue (and her hands shaking with electric power). "She could not accept who she was and wanted to be the person who had us tracked down. She would have had us _killed_!"

It did not help that Rogue said nothing throughout all this, even when people left because of her…or because the mutant cause was lost. Even after everything went down, they were sent to their worst nightmares and had been confined together, she admitted nothing and smiled when she saw Kitty and Bobby together. In the end, although making few friends in the camp, like with Blink, Rogue kept to herself and trusted no one again, especially after their initial prison break. There had been tougher rules then, Kitty remembered, and it made her scared of her own shadow some days.

And to think, she called herself Shadowcat.

Kitty soon looked out the back of the truck for a change in scenery. Many had been sleeping and Roger Mortimer's man was driving in the front, so it almost felt relaxing to be alone. They were still in Mexico, she figured, and were a long way from reaching the next border. Everyone was still in their slumbers, including the Professor and Magneto (which was strange to see, Kitty had to admit), and moonlight illuminated their soft faces. Kitty counted many snores, one person drooling (Matthew Adams) and contented sighs (Bobby), but could not find it in her to stay in the same state. She was unable to sleep, to bear the nightmares that come and go, and to remember that she once had been in a camp that killed daily…and would have gotten to her had she not had Bobby.

Slowly, Kitty detached herself from Bobby and walked carefully to the end of the truck bed. She could not tell where they were, but the last she heard from the front was that they entered the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi, but that had been hours ago. They could have driven through the state at this point, but Kitty doubted it. There were stops often when it was last announced and there had been sights galore, things that made them slow down with the other vehicles and remember what they were doing, remember that they too were on a mission…but one that was hell-bent on getting those mutants and sympathetic humans out of the camps.

Between the drama in her relationship with Bobby, Rogue being in the middle of everything and her incarceration with her friends, life had been one shadow after another anyway. Kitty stood still at the edge of the truck, seeing the lights of the next camp on the right as she wrapped her arms around herself. There were alarms sounding and the lights from the towers shone on her face constantly, running back and forth to find its true victims. Kitty blinked several times, trying to see through the brightness, but it was difficult. She tried through squinting eyes, but all she could see was something purple popping inside and outside the walls of the camps and children disappearing into a portal…

_No…no, it can't _be_._

As the truck moved onward, Kitty was able to see the escape better. _Yes_, she was seeing right. A figure was leading children out of the camp through portals and opened and closed quickly and she dodged danger just as easily. While the guards had been shooting in their general direction, everyone had been able to avoid being hurt or killed by hopping into one portal or another. A different accomplish was heading the rear, a knife in his hands and a glance backwards every so often, his ears carefully listening for trouble. As soon as the last of the children were herded out and into the last purple pathway, Kitty saw the last portal open and everyone disappearing very quickly. Curses from the guards were heard clearly, but it was not their reactions Kitty has been interested in.

_No_, she was interested in the people who helped those children get away. And she was sure who they were and why they had come this far.

By then, Bobby had woken up. Realizing that Kitty was not next to him and was standing by the truck opening, he went to her, wrapping his arms around hers. He kissed the side of her neck as goosebumps ran down it, easing her down into a sitting position that ended with her in his arms, both sitting on the truck floor with nothing but each other. The two then watched the action unfold in the camp that was fast disappearing from their sight, all of them guards cursing and radioing for help. Kitty sighed in content, feeling much safer than she ever had, but Bobby was curious.

"See anything interesting?" Bobby asked Kitty, putting his face into her mousy brown hair to smell it.

"I guess we're being followed." Kitty smiled, feeling the pothole that the truck hit, bouncing in Bobby's arms.

"By who?" Bobby was worried for a moment, but when he saw Kitty's smile, he relaxed a little.

"Warpath and Blink are here," Kitty only replied, the cool night air finally pushing some clouds away to show some stars. "They're behind us and we'll meet them soon."

* * *

**The biographical information above about Kitty Pryde came from the Marvel Database, based off of her character from the comics. Some little things, like running away from her family and the circumstances of her relationship with Bobby Drake (which is in the movies and based off of the dreaded and most hated movie _The Last Stand_), was a fabric of my imagination. However, her skills, powers and friendships (like with Storm) were based on the comics.**

**The prison escape was based off of the _X-Men: Days of Future Past_ website "Twenty-Five Moments". Although it had been based more in the future than what I anticipated, I still believe it in Blink's character to continue saving anyone she can. And Warpath...well, he wasn't really a friend of the X-Men in the comics, but I figured, with the movie, he was a good ally and a pretty hard opponent to beat. ;)**


	10. Running in Blindly

_**October 11**_

_It has been a long hike through the so-called Algonquin Provincial Park so far, but the trip north into the woods has been a game of hide-and-seek with our attackers. Sentinels have been spotted south of us and are on our tail constantly, shooting when they can and missing when we hide. I don't know if we'll be able to outsmart and outdistance them, but we're coming closer to getting off their trail and nobody has been hurt. So far, we're several miles in and almost on the other side, according to Logan, and no robot has been in sight for an hour. The pace has been harder than ever before and there has no sleep since yesterday, but it is of no matter. We are together and that's all that matters to me (and Logan too, but he won't say that)._

_I can hardly write and walk at the same time and my legs and back are starting to ache. I'm turning back constantly to check the rear. Even though Devon is covering it with Rogue, I am uneasy. I don't know if we'll be able get away in time, but we sure as hell can try. It's been cold, oh so cold, and the run has turned our sweat into cold droplets that announce death at every corner. My stomach has been churning, but I cannot stop either. I have to keep running with everyone…or risk it all. Already, the price has been higher than expected and I can't bear to pay it anymore._

~00~

Ahead, there was a steady stream of smoke going in to upward direction, most likely from a house using wood as a heating source. By then, Logan stopped the group, sure that they were ahead of the Sentinels by miles. They hadn't been on their tails for a few hours now, but he had been cautious, ever since they started attacking in earnest. He didn't want them close by, but he could not sense them. For now, they were safe, but for how long remains a mystery. The smoke up ahead did not mean friendly forces either, but it also meant there were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Logan could hardly leave everyone behind and scout again, but he might not have a choice if he wanted to keep everyone alive. They could not run into a situation blindly.

Logan looked behind him and saw a group worse for wear and tired from a day without sleep and food and running for hours without respite. Danielle was the worst, he saw, now supported by Rogue and Mae on both sides. Michael and Riley's face were dirtied, but white underneath from their fears, hungry with whines on their lips (and Logan saw that coming). Devon still stayed in the back, his eyes glancing back and forth, watching for Sentinels. His staff was hardly finished yet (and had been carved some more on their last stop) and still quivered in his hands. Logan noticed that he still wanted a fight, had some adrenaline in his system, and was willing to go the extra distance to throw the first punch when those Sentinels came back.

Mae looked at Logan for some answers, but he had none. He only pointed west, feeling it the safest route for them, and then pointed to the smoke.

"Head that way," he ordered, as the sun started sinking in that direction. "I'll be checking that out."

"That way meaning follow the setting sun?" Devon asked, scratching his head.

"Yes," Logan confirmed. "And _keep going_. Don't stop, don't help anyone, keep on running. If it's safe where I'm going, I'll come back looking for you."

Without a goodbye, Logan darted north, sensing the others heading in the other direction as he told them to. He followed his nose to the source, sticking to the shadows in case someone was there. He then drew his gun from behind him, previously locked into his pack, and started climbing the nearest tree to him. Near the middle, he jumped to the next one swiftly, without making a noise, and continued that way until he reached nearer to the smoke. By then, he saw a clearing, stopping a few trees before it. It was a large house with a barn next to it, somewhere at the edge of the park maybe, but it was definite that someone lived there. Logan watched for some time, unaware of how much had passed, but just before the sun went down completely, he saw a man emerge from the doorway, an older man, by the looks of it, and one carrying a gun. He seemed familiar, but Logan could not place him.

Suddenly though, Logan saw the gun firing from the older man's hands and in his direction. Before he could move or even shoot back, the man had gotten to him first, the bullet hitting Logan right in the forehead. He dropped from the tree in surprise, healing as he went down, and hit the ground back first. Seconds later, when he was recovered, he was seeing the old man stare down at him, gun in his hands and amazement lining his face. Logan did not move, thinking it was not prudent yet to be reaching for a weapon.

"I never seen a man before take a bullet to the head and not die for it," the man declared loudly, studying Logan carefully. "But I only knew one mutant who could handle that…Agent Ten."

Logan blinked for a few seconds before realizing what he was just called. "Haven't heard that name in a long time," he replied carefully, feeling the bullet pop out of his forehead. "Do I know you?"

"I think you should," the man said, scratching his chin and putting the gun down. "I was a man who everyone thought was dead, along with my wife. Although they found the charred remains of two agents in Algeria, they said they were us…but only one jumped from that plane before it crashed and most unwillingly, I might add."

It took Logan a few seconds to recall who he was dealing with. Shaking his head in disbelief, he got up without fearing another shot and shook the man's hand. "Richard Parker…_alive_? I never thought to see this day. How did it happen? Last I heard, you and your wife were on a plane and it was hijacked by the Finisher, the assassin for Albert Malik. It was said you both committed treason."

"All in good time, my old friend," Parker answered, leading Logan back towards the house and wincing at the memories untold. "It will be explained in good time. Now you know where there is a friend. Perhaps you can find your own group and bring them here?"

Logan stopped right in front of the doorway with Parker. "How did you know?"

"A loner you may be, Agent Ten, but with a pack like that on you, you have some mortal friends behind you. Which direction did you send them off to?"

"West. Easiest route I could think so. Sentinels weren't going in that direction and it was safer."

Parker faced Logan, worry lining his face. "Sentinels?"

"Yeah, they've been following us for some miles."

"Good God, not again." Parker rubbed his forehead. "Bring them back here. I've got a way for you to be safe, at least. How many you bringing back?"

Logan had one foot to start running, but glared back at Parker, his voice sarcastically cheery, as always. "I've got two kids, one ten and the other six, two young adults, one eighteen and the other twenty-two, one middle-aged woman and a pregnant woman."

By then, without waiting for a reply, Logan was off and running. Parker only shook his head, this time wondering what his former co-worker had in store for him. Agent Ten was a mutant he had not seen in years, not since he had to retrieve him from Baroness and Baron Wolfgang von Strucker in the late fifties, some time before he went to Vietnam with his older brother. The man who was James Howlett had been all over the place in order to keep himself from seeing the animal inside of him. However, Parker knew that war always changed anyone, even one like Agent Ten. However, there was another change in him that Parker noted, something that he never had some fifty years before.

_Caring_…Agent Ten had cared about people. And Parker was about to find out who and why soon enough.

~00~

It was late at night. The kids had been off to bed hours before (amused and excited that their sleeping quarters had been a loft space above the second floor), Devon and Rogue snuggled together in a corner with Michael and Riley and Mae was watching over Danielle, sleeping in a guest bedroom on the second floor. Parker and Logan stayed in the dining room by the kitchen, sitting at a table drinking some bourbon. Logan had downed five shots quickly, but still did not feel the edge come off yet (and usually did for a brief time). He was still watchful, searching out the windows for a threat he knew was out there.

"The Sentinels won't come in here," Parker promised as Logan poured himself another shot, his sixth. "Department H has been nice enough to get me some equipment to keep the bad guys away."

"And keep you in the middle of nowhere?" Logan drank and set the shot glass down. "How did that happen? Seems to me you're dead and your charred remains were brought back by your son years ago."

"Who had no idea that it wasn't me in the first place and buried what was thought to be my final remains," Parker said, the regret in his voice evident. "CIA and Department H sent me and Mary to Albania to bring Malik down, as you know. Malik made it out that we were traitors and made sure the Finisher had us dead. CIA knew what was going on and tried to pull us out before we boarded the plane for Canada, but the Finisher got there first. He got on that plane, sabotaged it with another and jumped midair. He had left a man and the pilot behind to make sure the job was done and maybe jump at the last minute. That guy had us tied up in chairs, tortured us…and that was when he started taking Mary apart, piece by piece. He started cutting off her fingers and toes before me with a saw, ripping her clothes off and cutting through skin. She was a goner, even though I yelled at him to pick on someone his own size. I knew she was going to die as soon he started pulling her leg apart and cut past the bone. The screams…the screams were enough."

Logan noted a pause in the story. Parker then took another shot of bourbon, most likely to get his courage up, and stared at Logan with haunted eyes, most likely from the load he carried alone for over fifty years.

"I managed to get close enough to kick him by hopping on the chair and getting him away from Mary for a minute," Parker continued. "The guy dropped the saw. But by then, the plane had started to tilt. It was going to crash in minutes. Pilot had no control and refused to by then and was on a suicide course anyway, I would assume if there was no parachute for him. Guy recovered, came by to get me again with his second weapon, a knife, but I managed to move the chair enough at the last minute so his knife got the ropes, not me. I got up and managed to put his lights out."

"And Mary?" Logan asked, afraid of the answer.

"Dead by the time I got to her," Parker replied sadly, pouring himself another drink. "She lost so much blood, lost so many digits and limbs. I did the only thing I could. I found the spare parachute and jumped before the plane crashed. Pilot, extra guy and Mary were gone. I was in the middle of a desert, had no water or shelter, so I began the long walk towards civilization. I didn't know how I did it, but I got somewhere by the time night fell, lucky as I usually am. It was a caravan of travelers. Their leader allowed me in and was able to get me somewhere where I could contact the head hotshot. They flew me out of there within the day, but realized that news of my passing was given to my brother, Ben. Him and his wife had my son and the CIA and Department H thought it better that I was dead anyway. They gave me this little place, equipped it so everyone can't be detected and told me to keep watch. So, you, my friend, are going to be appealing news to Department H and the other people in the Ministry anyway, even if they aren't interested."

"I was looking for them to begin with." Logan's deadpan manner almost made Parker spill his drink before picking it up.

"Jimmy," Parker began.

Logan waved his hand. "I left that life a long time ago, Rich."

"Regardless," Parker continued. "What would you want with the Ministry and their Department H? It can't be about returning to their line of work."

"I sure as hell hope they don't think so." Logan had to clench his teeth to keep his sarcastic comments in. "It's the mutant issue in the States mainly."

"I was afraid of that." Parker took the shot and placed the glass before him once more. "Listen, Jimmy, the Ministry has been different these days, the past month really. While the older ones have been urged to step down, the newer, younger ones seem to like the whole 'mutants in camps' scenario. They get profit out of it. They join in with Trask and they get rewarded with money and a chance to be promoted. I mean, look at the Ellis family. With a few mutants helping him, Leon Ellis managed to get into Trask, worm his way into politics and appoint his cousin his successor…all because he and his cousin were along the same vein, you know."

Logan tensed at the mention of the Ellis family. He didn't even bother correcting Parker on the name, he was too pissed.

"I see you've been up against them a few times," Peter observed, getting up to signal that he was heading to bed. "Take some advice, Jimmy. Leave sleeping bears where they lie. It's best to keep that beast inside."

"And that beast almost ruined my life and it's spreading worldwide," Logan replied sharply. "It continues to. We need to get to Alberta, Rich, and talk with the Ministry. We can't delay."

Parker continued to be skeptical about Logan's mission, but decided to call it a night and let him stew over his refusal to help. He thought he could persuade the old agent into peace and quiet living, but that might not be an option anymore. He certainly needed it, Parker thought, but with the looming war over their heads, for all human and mutants alike, there was bound to be a bigger explosion…and it had yet to be detonated.

"We'll talk more in the morning," Parker promised. "I'm sure we'll find a way."

As Logan watched Parker leave, he started doubting his word, something he never thought would happen to an old friend. Somebody had told him to be quiet and keep people off the struggle of freedom, and it was much more than telling him to lay low and pretend to be dead. Somebody was hanging Richard Parker on a hook and hanging him out as bait. But for what it was, Logan could not see…but he was more than willing to find out more.

* * *

**For all you comic book fans out there who are cringing, I am sorry. I thought it an awesome twist if that had happened to Richard Parker and his wife. :) For all those who do not know...Mary and Richard Parker were agents of Department H, originally sent out to rescue Logan from some enemies. However, the events described above were in the comics (save for the extra guy, pilot and Richard Parker surviving and some other things, of course). Their son, Peter Parker, went to Albania to finish up Malik and pick up his parents' remains, proving them innocent of treason and burying them. Peter Parker, of course, was best known as Marvel's Spiderman.**


	11. Fearful and Uneasy

Danielle woke up the next morning, oddly enough a little hungry and somewhat full of energy. The smell of pancakes and bacon and a conversation along with it enticed her to get out of bed, but she was still shaky. The long walk from the day before had weakened her and confined her to bed (indeed, she was tired from being dragged around too), but she felt confident that there was a way for her to escape Mae and her rules. After all, Mae had been sleeping beside her (Logan was somewhere else and stood guard too, she was sure of it) and was snoring away next to her on the bed. Danielle was pretty positive Mae would keep there for a time and enthusiastically took the chance to get out of bed.

The dizziness was easy to handle. Danielle had vertigo for years and had successfully controlled it with her powers. But the pain in her abdomen…_that_ had been her downfall. Danielle grabbed for the nearby door and clenched the doorknob, thanking whoever was up there that she had been quiet and that this baby was still alive and wanting to live (chalking that up to Logan and his stubbornness being passed down the generations). She waited for the pain to pass, almost leaning against the door for some minutes, before smiling assertively as she opened the thick door to the second floor. The hallway had been opened up like a balcony, the stairs to the right. Danielle walked down to the voices and the smell of food with further issue. When she reached the kitchen and small table though, where Logan and Parker sat (the former with a cup of coffee), the two stood up simultaneously.

"Jimmy, sit down," Parker ordered, his kind eyes on Danielle. "I need to check the food anyway."

Logan said nothing about the old name (Danielle figured that was not going to change and it was something that Logan would seethe about), but obeyed the order. Logan then watched Danielle sit where Parker originally was, smiling all the way. She smiled back, realizing that they were being observed from behind. Parker watched from the stove in the kitchen, pulling bacon from the pan and flipping pancakes. When he turned around though, the two went emotionless, as if they did not know the other, doing menial things to make the atmosphere seem normal (Danielle even went as far as picking her dry cuticles). Whatever food that was hot and done he served to the two at the table (as well as some plates and utensils and his cup of coffee too), hoping that the kids would stay in bed a little longer, so they could talk.

Parker then pulled a chair out from the other room and brought it over, seating himself. "So, Jimmy turn pretty white when you told him you were pregnant?" he asked Danielle bluntly, taking a plate full of pancakes and bacon.

Danielle said nothing, but her face betrayed more than just surprise (mostly a "How dare you?" face). Logan did the same for a moment too, but his face was more passive afterward, like he knew nothing and would add nothing more too.

_Typical._ Parker was not shocked that Agent Ten seemed too distant from the situation…still.

"The signs are pretty much there, sweetie," Parker continued when Danielle questioned him nonverbally. "You came in and went to bed, Jimmy was concerned and he was off in his own world. He cares."

Logan still said nothing, but dimly remembered that he asked Parker the same thing when Mary said that she was pregnant, over fifty years ago. It was a bad joke in passing, he supposed in afterthought, but seeing that Parker actually remembered that was a little bit of revenge…and it tasted pretty bitter anyway. Logan was still getting used to the idea of being a parent and was still trying to figure his way into the lives of kids who were not his and did not need to sarcasm on Parker's part either. It was enough to hear it from the three kids themselves.

_It was difficult for him and Mary to adjust too._ Logan also remembered that Parker left his son with his older brother and sister-in-law when they went on missions overseas, but he wasn't going to mention that and put salt in a wound either. Parenting wasn't the Parkers' strong points.

"So people would say," Danielle said carefully, referring to Logan. Logan and Parker both noticed that she wasn't going to be giving up much information, if possible. The situation was new to her and she had yet to explore it.

"People say a lot." Parker took a sip of coffee. He offered Danielle some of the food wordlessly, but whatever appetite she had was instantly gone once she saw the food. He noticed that she was now trying hard not to gag, the smell overwhelmed her so much.

"Let's cut down the chase here," Logan butted in, seemingly to continue a conversation that was put down some time ago and try to get Danielle off her nausea. "We need to get to Alberta and that's final."

Parker glared at Logan, his face masking everything for a reply, but his eyes asking if Danielle can be trusted. Logan sipped his cup of coffee quietly, but his hands made some sort of signal, Danielle assuming that it meant an affirmative. She had enough of their talk though and decided that she was going to show her hand. Now without much energy (and not hungry anymore), she used her powers to try to link with Parker and talk through their minds, but even that was beginning to wear her down.

_You really think you can have a conversation and not have me know about it? You have got to be kidding me, right?_

The look on Parker's face was priceless. Logan almost spit out his sip of coffee but choked on it instead, he thought it was that funny that Danielle was _that_ brazen. Danielle grinned weakly to see Parker's great surprise, but was almost disappointed to see him recover quickly. She hid her feelings well then, but continuing to feel quite smug about her interruption.

"I can see how important we feel," Parker said to Danielle rather sarcastically. "How many other abilities you have, other than mind reading?"

"None that I would think is your concern now," Danielle replied smoothly, turning back to business quickly and hiding behind a wall herself, the nausea wearing down finally. "Now, Logan has told you that we need to go to Alberta. It's urgent that we do."

Parker waved his hand in indifference again. "Yes, yes, I know. And I told Jimmy here why it's a bad idea."

Danielle exchanged a glance with Logan quickly (the two might have had a word or three in their minds, Parker thought), but turned back to Parker just as fast. "And why can't we?"

"Politics," Logan answered for Parker, as if the one word covered it all. His tone was even spiteful too, Danielle noted.

"That's about it." Parker sipped his coffee again. "It's best, since those Sentinels are out, that you all stay here for now. Once the excitement dies down, we can see what the Ministry has been up to. It could have been them all along that sent the Sentinels this way."

"I thought they were on our side," Danielle pointed out.

"They _were_," Parker replied. "The new dumbass hotshots think they know it all and like what being anti-mutant is all about, excuse my language. Mostly, it's the grandkids taking off their grandfather's work, but hey…I can't complain."

"You're not a mutant." Danielle's voice dripped more sarcasm than Logan's ever did.

"Right." Parker put his cup down. "I'm not. I'm just loyal to the men who worked with me, have known me and needed my help. I never stooped down to those guys' levels. You think they like me here? It's easier for them, but they fear me too. The quieter I am though, the more they leave me alone and I can do the work originally sent out for me to do. Granted, it'll be to my dying days, but who will miss an old man who's nearly eighty?"

"You're just a pawn," Danielle said seriously. "You're only an old man, who everyone thinks is dead and is made to do the work of a ghost. They should fear you more than use you."

Parker turned to Logan, disturbed. "Might I ask how she knew that?"

"Simple," Danielle answered for Logan before he could talk. "Your thoughts. It's all over you, painted on your body like a tattoo. I can sense it off of you without even trying. Who you are, what you've done and your life are always covering your body, like scars, a journey to hell you cannot erase. It takes a skilled person to truly hide who they are and become the person they choose not to be. You? You hate it now. You wished life could be as it was, with your wife and playing a true agent for Department H. Granted, having your son was unexpected, but you loved him nonetheless and wish you could see him, even if he's middle aged now."

It was now Parker's turn to keep his counsel. He studied Danielle intently, his hand rubbing his chin as he eyed her from head to toe. Danielle wasn't wearing much, maybe some stretch pants, a comfortable tank top and flannel shirt (rolled up to the elbows) and some socks, but she showed her physical scars like they were trophies, challenges of her life. There had been many around her neck, one of them appearing to be a prize from someone's cold knife, others from ropes maybe. Tiny flecks of odd flesh covered her face, like glass shards hit them, and white and red hair covered the rest of her face, except her hazel eyes, which Parker swore turned a shade of red and the black a minute before. On her left shoulder was a true tattoo, but Parker could not see what it was, just that it was a black figure. However, what interested him more was the other tattoo, this time on her left arm, which seemed to cover claw marks made years ago.

Dangling from the tattoo's web was a black widow spider…covering up claw marks Agent Ten had made years ago.

It was as good a message as any, Parker thought carefully. If this weak woman was as she's claiming to be, then he had his hands full. However, with her being so sick and with the kids on her constantly, he might be lucky and she'll be distracted as any mother would be. He wouldn't always have to watch his shoulder and fear a knife in the night. However, he had to admit to himself that this woman of Agent Ten's at least had balls and was honest. She appraised grave situations well enough and could probably stab someone in the back at the same time she was their best friend, she was that good. She was an assassin, no doubt about it, and one who planned her strategies very well.

Danielle knew that Parker was studying her, but remained amused. Her correct statements about Parker had him thinking too much and his thoughts were easily heard from her. Sure, he figured out who she was quickly. But where she was now going was another situation altogether. Danielle was already planning out how they would get to Alberta with Parker's help, but it was going to take some time and some scheming with Logan perhaps. And the time it was going to take for them to settle in here and keep out of trouble might be the excuse they needed. It was almost the greatest serendipity, if Danielle had ever seen one, but it would work to their advantage soon enough.

"You assess very well, my friend," Parker said carefully after some silence. "But that is all in the past. Right now, we'll wait. Patience is the best virtue, I always said."

"And a lack of one always got us into problems," Logan said quietly just as they heard the kids above their heads. In the background upstairs, as Devon and Rogue woke up too, Mae was heard to be yelling on the stairs for Danielle. What she was angry about, Logan did not want to know, but he knew it had something to do with Danielle running off without her again and not staying in bed when she was supposed to.

"Oops," Danielle muttered, trying hard not to snicker. "I guess I escaped my nurse again."

~00~

_**October 14**_

_I guess it has been a quiet few days, but I've wanted to pull my hair out. While being at Richard Parker's large and comfy cabin has its advantages, the kids have been restless. Being cooped up inside all day, especially with the cold, Sentinels and some snow outside, made them more antsy than ever before. They have already wrecked the house twice over, found escape tunnels underneath the floorboards Parker claims never to have known about and have befriended a mother cat and her kittens, all of whom are now situated in front of a fire downstairs. While they have been on Parker's good side and have played cute, it hasn't been an easy walk. Worse yet, they are getting on Logan's nerves and he's been a ball of that for weeks now._

_I am sitting here on the bed, bored myself, but the game of patience has begun. Logan and I agreed to keep at Parker about going to Alberta, but in small and subtle ways. We think it's safer to stay here too, since the walls seem to keep the Sentinels from sensing the mutants inside, but in time, we need to wear down the resistance, find the issue with Parker (other than younger blood liking money) and move on. We can't sit here while Magneto, the Professor and the others work their way south._

_Being here has made me uneasy too. I feel like something bad is going to happen and I can't put my finger on it. I can't say when it began, but I've always felt dread since I've met that man some weeks ago in prison. I can chalk it up there with being fearful of all shadows, but in times like this, I can't help but feel like we're being watched by someone more powerful than we'll ever be, more powerful than even hate ever is…_


	12. On the Road to a New Future

They were in the capital state of México and it was getting hotter and noisier as they passed through the city. While resting in the capital of the country, and feeling like honored guests in the main camp to boot, Bobby looked around him. While they had been situated away from the inmates' section, parked neatly near the commander's circle and safely behind barbed wire, he did not feel safe at all. Feeling like he was skating on some thin ice (and that had been a bad metaphor to begin with, he thought), he laughed and joined the others as they talked with the commander and had lunch with him, drinking with them as well. However, the mixed Mexican Spanish/English conversation and the loud drunks (Magneto being the most annoying of the bunch, to be honest) were giving him a headache. He had to leave…and leave quickly.

It wasn't that he wanted to leave Kitty alone in there. Bobby was sure that she was surrounded by people she trusted and could remain inside in the air conditioning. No, he felt drawn to the great suffering of others, the people not even twenty feet from him laboring away at some menial tasks, just as he did some months ago, and how they bore it. It seemed like they were like him, compliant on the inside and rebellious on the outside perhaps. They went about their day like any other, head bowed and hands to themselves, and planned for nothing new in the future, not even school, family and a new home. This was their life now, Bobby thought. It was _his_ life too, if he was not rescued some months ago…and would have been if the Professor and Magneto decided not to keep it that way.

Soon though, a presence was next to Bobby, and a reassuring one at that. A shadow on the right showed Kitty.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Kitty was quiet, staring through the barbed wire like she was prisoner again too. The eyes were the same even.

"I can't help it." Bobby almost felt helpless, lost too, almost like the time he was in solitary confinement for asking for more food that one cold, winter night so long ago. "I see something like this and…and I_ remember_. It's difficult not to."

"I do too." Kitty entwined her hand into Bobby's. "Those days…I thought we were going to die. They killed a lot of people that I couldn't help…help but think we'd be next in the ditch. And I'll be lost without you, Bobby. I can't live life without you now."

It was hard for Kitty to admit that and to keep her feelings inside, Bobby noted. Tears lined her eyes, but she wiped them away quickly, her resolve tightening. Her face turned as hard as stone, determined too. She then faced Bobby with the same face she had when they were posted at the borders with help of the people that rescued them, their jobs masking who they really were. She was back to being the serious guard, Katherine Pryde, and not the adventurous Kitty Pryde that Bobby knew and loved well.

"You think they'll miss us?" Kitty's head motioned to the commander's office. The partying inside seemed to have drifted to the door and some of the drunkest were staggering outside, but not towards them. Magneto luckily had stayed inside.

"I don't know," Bobby replied honestly, wrapping his arms around Kitty, as if to protect her. "Think we should join in with them?"

Kitty thought the question through carefully. However, her senses had been on edge. She thought that they themselves were being followed ever since Roger managed to get them through and invited…watched even…and that someone out there was trying to determine if they were mutants or not. She shook the feeling away though. Hard as she much, Kitty had to think with her mind, not her heart. Fears of the past had to be put behind her, insecurities of a time in which she thought she would die. But it was difficult not to see a spy amongst the men and women who came outside, now one of them being the commander of the camp.

"Kitty?" Bobby wrapped his arm around Kitty tighter, especially when the commander spotted them and came in their general direction. He smiled too, a grin that even made Bobby's hair stand on end.

"I don't know," Kitty replied quickly, the panic on her face very obvious, especially when a simple greeting was said their way from the commander, whose name escaped both of them.

"I would assume that you two lovers came out to enjoy the night air, but I am assuming that something is bothering you as well," the commander said to Kitty, his face a mask and his English in a Spanish Mexican accent almost too hard to follow. "I hope that these prisoners are behaving themselves, hmm? I can ask a guard to get them in line, if you need me to."

"No, that won't be necessary," Bobby quickly reassured the commander, his eyes following one in particular, a thin woman with a baby strapped to her back, but that glance went back to the commander immediately, hard and callous. "I believe more imaginative things can be thought of in the morning, when we all had some sleep."

"I think being in a new place has gotten under our skin," Kitty added, her face turning from fear to calm in two seconds flat. "There's nothing the prisoners did…this time."

"I certainly trust that this is so." The commander suddenly had some guards behind him, some drunk and others too sober. "I also would greatly appreciate it if Customs from the border had not sent more _mutants_ to my camp, posing as one of us. Go quietly now and nothing will happen to you or the others. Say something and, on my word, all of your friends will be dead and you can die watching them go before you."

_The disguises had not worked. Or had they, and they had others toys we did not know about?_ Bobby gave the commander a blank look, as if he did not know what he was talking about.

Kitty did the same, but her eyes betrayed her feelings. "And where would you put loyal guards who have served this country?" she asked the commander, daring in her voice.

"Loyal guards set out to be double, I have no doubt about it," the commander replied, his smile amused by Kitty's audacity. "For now, knowing who you are will be precious leverage. After all, what commander does not love to have mutants famous for being with either Charles Xavier or Erik Lehnsherr in his camp and so easy to catch?"

~00~

A woman of many faces must always keep on her toes, especially in a time such as this. For a mutant like Mystique though, keeping on her feet at all times was a costly lifestyle and one she knew was slowly catching up to her in her old age.

Still posing as a portly, elderly woman in Yekaterinburg, Russia, with nothing more to do than to watch the news and keep an eye out on four shy mutants (with more coming her way towards the east, so she heard), Mystique was slowly becoming bored with her line of work, but had plans working in her favor for once. Although feeling rather bold with her movements as of late, she soon was making herself a well-known figure in the city, well trusted with secrets and passing every test known concerning mutants (and making evidence up so even she too could be kept in the loop about government issues). Easily, just as she came back from America the last time (and now excited to hear of Peter Ellis' timely demise), she landed a job in the Office of Mutant Affairs in the city built on martyred blood. For some months after Magneto and Charles left, she picked up paperwork, photographed activities of its members and schemed until she thought of her first target.

Oh, _that_ had been easy. Magneto had taught her how to pick her prey carefully, to use her powers of transformation to make herself invisible…and visible, all at the same time. Although a guest often in the home of Anatoli Pasternack (as his wife and children watched with their beady little eyes, often accusing her of many things silently), she was also a trusted adviser to him, although a secretary and conducting an affair with him. It had been natural to her, to have a man some years older slip a hand up her sexy skirt and feel her bare breasts being felt once in a while. But it had quickly moved to something more intimate and it had left Mystique feeling somewhat unabashed…but she was also hungry for more work. And being older did not mean that she had to feel any less beautiful than she was forty years before.

Charles would not have approved. Then again, he would have used Pasternack as a source of information, not a large target of assassination. Mystique thought along Magneto's lines though, forgetful of the past and carefully using each day as a step forward to the night of death. The man name Anatoli Pasternack was a terrorist to her anyway, a man who would stoop down and kill mutant mothers and their children without a thought. He separated families, sorting them to the old gulags in the north with government permission. Since the Russian government bowed to the European Union's wishes, all mutants had to be registered and sent away, most likely never to be seen again, much as their past counterparts of Stalin's era years ago.

The night of the killing came soon enough. It was a cold, late October night in Yekaterinburg. Mystique had a dinner date with Pasternack in his office in the center of town, some blocks from the church Charles and Magneto used to frequent. Mystique had avoided the church at all costs when she was in the city, feeling herself unclean for such a pure place (as well as not feeling so religious these past fifty or so years) and not wanting to dirty her hands in a place where there already had been death. Besides, she did not think their God would never approve of her mission to spill more blood…and she did not care anymore.

"God had abandoned us in Germany and Poland," Magneto had said once, in a rare mood where he mentioned something about his survival at Auschwitz during a lecture in a hideaway some year ago. "Why should we turn to him now, for comfort and succor, when we have to fend for ourselves?"

_Bitter words, Erik, but always something I remember daily. God never liked mutants anyway._

Mystique had already left verbal instructions to her charges before leaving into the chilly night, allowing them passes to flee the city and head east, willing to meet them again. Their target was ultimately Japan, where a refuge for mutants had been made with the Red Cross (similar to the one in Alberta, Canada, Mystique knew), but she wanted them to take it slow at the next place and meet up with the other mutants in a careful manner before going to Japan. She would catch up with them later, when she turned Pasternack into a bloody pulp of flesh.

It was a long walk to the office, but Mystique managed to make it in her woolen dress and high heels, although her feet wanted to bleed with the ache and she ignored every drunk and pervert on the way. Pasternack was in the doorway of the building when she arrived though, his fat lips smiling at Mystique and his arms wanting to caress her in public, no matter the cost to his family life and the rumors that would follow. Mystique only smiled, her mouth forming cautious words of greeting before she allowed Pasternack to bring her inside to his inner office (passing even the other secretaries), where the air smelled of roses and the candles illuminated the office lovingly.

"You did not have to do this for me," Mystique protested in Ukrainian, Pasternack's mother tongue, as Pasternack closed the door behind him. "I wanted nothing special."

"_Anything_ for my special pet," Pasternack purred in the same language, his large arms wrapping around Mystique with care, like she was a China doll. "I have a present for you though. Wait here, my pet."

Pasternack disappeared, telling the other workers to leave in Russian. As Mystique waited ever so patiently, counting the seconds until her daring act of a new future, she studied the spacious and modern office, seeing it as the perfect ruse for murder. A scorned lover, now out of town, murders the head of mutant affairs in Russia…it would be good for the headlines, she thought, but she would not see the glory and want to boast of it in some fashion. She would be gone before the first light and before anyone could suspect her. After tonight, she would no longer don her old disguise, choosing to be someone else, someone who would again strike before changing to another person in another town. And that new person she had yet to determined, but that would be soon enough. That was always the fun of being a shape shifter.

After some minutes, Mystique grew bored, but she appreciated that Pasternack shooed the witnesses away. She figured death in their futures as well had he not done that, but that was another story and something she did not want to think about right now. When all was quiet though and the others gone home, Pasternack came back in, quickly pushing Mystique to his desk and bending her over, pulling her clothes away in swift movements that left her dropping the purse where the gun was. It landed on the floor with a loud thud, but it was still within reach and it was not noticed. She played the game perfectly, even allowing Pasternack to have sex with her, but that was soon to be at an end.

At the height of his passion and far from being done, Pasternack looked at Mystique in the eyes, almost seeing some bright gold color in them for a second. He thought it his imagination (his mind stuck on her beauty, he figured) and continued, but it was not long before he noticed Mystique moving to the right. He moved along with her, trying to keep the groove and ignoring her needs and tending to his instead, but even he did not see her hand push open the top of the purse and pull out a metallic item.

Pasternack did not even see Mystique aim for his head, so involved was he in the act of devotion and assured that he too was loved. The last thing he remembered was a flash and a loud bang.


	13. Declined Invitations

They had been kept in cells far from the regular camp and deep underground too, but that was nothing new to the mutants who had been prisoners before. Kitty had remembered the damp, cold walls of the Kansas camp from long ago, a camp with no name but that of the numbers of prisoners, mutants with names and pasts, and of their torture cells now gone beneath a hole in the ground. Now, she was a new prisoner in México Camp XVI and now condemned to die soon (most likely by hanging or firing squad, it was whispered), along with Bobby, the Professor, Magneto, Roger Mortimer and his man, Ororo Munroe, Matthew Adams and even old Hank McCoy. And Kitty soon was realizing that she was not likely to see the sunshine again until the day she died…and even then, it was not guaranteed that it would be in the daylight either.

And she felt it was all her fault. _Stupid us! We should not have accepted the invitation. We should have driven away peaceful without suspicion, without saying who we were…_

They had been separated into several small cells in this underground system, but luckily she was with Bobby and Matthew. Matthew was very vocal about his guilt as he sat on the lone cot, his mind reeling that he did not see this coming. Bobby, in the meantime, seemed to be the calmer of the three, most likely trying to keep that way for the rest of them, especially for Kitty's sake, she figured (and it was something she thanked silently, especially after their immediate capture). He stared at the far wall, about four normal steps from where he was sitting, and appeared to be thoughtful. He said nothing though, an indicator to Kitty that something was stirring in his mind. Even Matthew wasn't thinking it through carefully.

"What do you think we can do?" Matthew finally asked from his position, his misery gone for the moment and the lament out of his voice. "We're stuck down here, everyone's in a different cell and there's no way out."

"We can't exactly ring for room service," Bobby observed wryly, his hand twirling some mists of ice from his fingers to the wall next to him.

"But we can use our powers," Kitty noted, watching the ice dance on Bobby's fingers.

"I can get us out of here easily, babe, but I can't get us past those guards," Matthew replied to Kitty tartly. "I'm strong and have the patience of a tiger, but I ain't that invincible."

Bobby was annoyed by the name usage for Kitty, but Matthew ignored that. Older, and perhaps more wary of the world than the two young adults, Matthew had yet to figure out what he was doing, especially since he was now on edge. Although he had been in hiding for years, until Peter Ellis pulled him out of his hole (with a good gunfight that finally got him out and then rescued by his cousin Danielle), he had not seen family or even friends in years. He was yanked from Xavier's school when his mother, grandmother and sisters were killed and his father disowned him, sent into foster care and became a mutant recluse. Now, seeing the true struggle around him, one that had been brewing for years more than he realized, he saw that he too was a part of it…and that the younger generation did not _understand_. They can sit in a camp all day and recall daily drills and routines, but they could hardly call it hardship that defined their lives. A _lifetime_ of fights was such, but almost a year…_that_ had been their chance, one to prove themselves and be free.

Yet, Matthew was not unsympathetic. He was saddened that the mutants had come to such a low point. However, seeing them fall from so high had been something he was indifferent to. He did not like how arrogant some of the youngsters had gotten either, Bobby especially. He thought Iceman to be arrogant, proud and perhaps too hasty with his women, even for Matthew's tastes (and he's remembered a few ex-girlfriends through his drunken years). And how he treated Rogue was something entirely different, but something on the other side of the spectrum nonetheless. Matthew could have done that in a dissimilar manner, but then again…he saw that Bobby had none of the experiences or wisdom he did either.

"Say, didn't you say you could bring someone back in time?" Matthew then asked Kitty quite unexpectedly when his misery was spent, an idea suddenly dawning on him. "I remember you said something earlier, I believe. The future can be changed if we manage to change the past, right? Hell, we aren't being watched. We have the ability to use our powers. Why not show us how yours is going to work?"

"How far do you think we need to go in the past?" Kitty asked Matthew, her eyes searching his dark ones for something that would tell her what his mind was now and what was oiling its gears. "I haven't explored this really and only know that, once someone changes something in the past, the future will never be the same. I can only go back a few hours maybe –"

"And that's all we need," Matthew reassured her, getting up from the cot and putting his hands on her shoulders tightly, with more confidence that Kitty ever felt. "A few hours. If you can get me or Iceman here to go back a few hours and maybe warn some of us that staying here was a bad idea, maybe we can get out of this execution we don't want to keep the appointment time for."

Bobby glared at Matthew, but when he saw the determination on Kitty's face, he could not argue. He nodded to Kitty, volunteering himself with that assent.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked Kitty, seeing Matthew's hands drop from Kitty's shoulders and his face betray nothing more than a smile.

Kitty waved to the cot. "Lay there and relax. Think happy thoughts."

Bobby obeyed Kitty quickly, crossing his arms at his chest and closing his eyes gently. He felt Matthew's harsh gaze at him, but he did not care about that. As he sensed Kitty kneel before his head, Bobby was soon thinking back to the time when they were first a couple, when he felt the best, as all relationships do in the honeymoon phase. Rogue had been gone from the picture for some time now, Kitty was slowly inching closer to him and all had been well. Until that day in July, life always had been perfect. Bobby was so caught up in his memories of those days that he did not see Kitty's fear or feel her hands rest on the sides of his head. He suddenly felt a sting in his ears, which made him gasp and bite his lips hard, but then, there was nothing but red mist and…

Bobby soon felt hot air around him, his legs unsteady for a moment. As he gained his balance again, he noticed that he was outside the truck some hours ago, holding his gun and standing guard at the rear of the vehicle as other officials from México Camp XVI checked their false paperwork and deemed them appropriate for now. Roger Mortimer had been handling it then (with his usual gruff manner), but Matthew had decided to put his two cents in and cracked a joke in Spanish about paperwork these days. While people had laughed, Bobby was not amused. The first thing he did, remembering that they needed to change the future to save their lives, was to find someone of authority and get them to understand their precarious situation. Granted, it would be difficult, but he knew just the person who would believe him.

Professor Xavier had been resting the truck bed as usual, unable to move as the others could. While he shrugged it off as being tired to those who did not know him, he obviously he did not want to show off that he was considered a cripple, although Bobby had seen him use his powers once, just to prove to some unusually arrogant students that he could walk. But even now was not the time to show that off either.

Bobby jumped back up on the truck bed and sat down next to Xavier. His face had a desperate feel to it, but then again, he had just come from some hours into the future in order to change it. And dealing with one of the mightiest telepaths might speed things up a little bit.

"Professor," Bobby greeted normally, smiling tightly.

"Bobby," Xavier replied, smiling just the same and seeing the issue just as quickly. "Where did you come from?"

"A few hours later, in the future," Bobby said immediately in a hush, not willing to bring the others into the problem yet. "We are supposed to be guests of the commander and have dinner with him and his men, but we will be captured and executed if we stay. We should not accept his offer, but move on."

Xavier regarded Bobby for a minute, but nodded nonetheless with the knowledge. "Are you sure?"

"Certain, Professor." Bobby seemed more desperate than normal, his eyes betraying some of his fear. "We need to move on. There's a suitable motel just a few miles away, I'm sure. The local food might suck, but it's safer than being stuck in cells underneath the camp and awaiting an execution that would hinder our mutual cause."

Xavier only had to lightly touch Bobby's forehead and see the future. He nodded again, but this time, it was more in understanding. He then called Ororo Munroe over, a tone that commanded her to come at once. She had been standing some yards from the truck, but had not strayed too far away from her mentor. Xavier waved her to come closer and to talk with him and Bobby, but the fear on her own face was very obvious as she stood there. She was transplanted into the ground and unwilling to give up her position to give anyone ideas. She did not feel that anything should be out of place, even somewhere as dangerous as Mexico, but she obeyed Xavier regardless (even though she received some strange glances from the other guards) and smiled bravely when she noticed Bobby nearby.

"What is it?" she asked, seeing grave faces on both Xavier and Bobby.

"Storm, I'm going to need your finesse with Roger Mortimer," Xavier explained kindly. "I sense that there's going to be some issues with the commander. He suspects who we are and we might be in greater danger than I realized. Try and stall them, see if we can leave the camp without going to dinner."

"How did –" Ororo started.

"We don't have time," Bobby interrupted rudely. "If we stay here, we're all going to die."

Ororo glanced strangely at Bobby, but accepting the assignment nonetheless, shaking her head in acknowledgement before jumping off the truck bed herself (without showing her age, Bobby noticed) and heading to the front of it. While Xavier and Bobby heard her arguing with Roger Mortimer in the front, it had taken all of Ororo's skills to keep them away from the tempting invitation from the camp commander. She asked again and again in Mexican Spanish what the best route was through the country and where they could find some shelter by nightfall, but the answer was not coming. The commander was intent on keeping his new visitors in his camp.

After a few minutes of arguing with the camp commander (of which was growing very heated, Bobby noticed, most of it between the commander and Roger Mortimer), Xavier smiled and closed his eyes. Soon enough, the tones of the voices turned softer, like someone was seeing their side of things and was willing to cooperate. Ororo was then able to ask for the final time which roads they could take. When the commander pointed to the eastern road, which would take them south and to a hotel of good repute, his men had been incredulous. Some of them barked their protests and said to keep them as planned, but their commander could not be shaken. Once he was resolute to keep them, now he was willing to let them go.

"But they could be mutants!" one exclaimed to the side, loud enough for Bobby to hear and translate though. "I think they look like the famous American ones we saw on the news."

"And they are not," the commander replied, waving Roger and the others back into the truck. "Move on. And safe travels, my friends!"

Soon, everyone was loading back on the bed of the truck. Kitty and Matthew had been relieved of their guard duty, but the latter had been chosen to drive instead of Roger and his extra man. Roger decided to take the truck bed along with the others, almost rudely pushing Magneto off the truck as Matthew pulled it into gear and headed out the exit of the camp, taking care to follow the directions of the camp commander. The rest of them sighed in relief, Bobby most of all.

Xavier kept his secret though. He kept his amusement to himself too, only revealing it to a very confused Magneto in a silent manner. The Auschwitz survivor only raised an eyebrow in interest, his mind perhaps asking what had happened. When Xavier mouthed that he would talk later, the issue was dropped and the trip continued without incident. Bobby was almost unconvinced that they had escaped without troubles, but he only had to close his eyes to believe that it was real, pinching himself to feel that he was truly back in the past, changed forever. He had to think back to what had been, what had changed and what will be the future as he knows it…

When Bobby opened his eyes again sometime later, in what seemed like seconds to him, he was in a hotel bedroom, lying on the bed with barely any clothes on, his shoes on the floor. The lights had been dimmed, but the bathroom light was on and the door was open to steam. The sounds of a shower were slowly being halted and a body emerged wet from the bathtub to the opened door, naked and dripping with water as the day of birth. Bobby saw Kitty there, her hair draped in great clumps down her back, droplets rolling down her bare body. She slowly walked to him, pulling his remaining dirty clothes off slowly and with great deft movements. She did not even dry herself.

"You have a good nap?" she asked him, kissing him in-between her loving gestures, jumping on top of Bobby to get a better reach.

"I guess so," Bobby replied, his eyes savoring the gentle hands on his tired body and the kisses he returned. "But you would not believe what had just happened to me…"


	14. Precious to Hold

It had been a relaxing scene, Logan had to admit, as he walked downstairs to the living room one late afternoon, but it wasn't going to be long before the storm hit, and literally, he had to add to himself. The living room was coated in toys given to Michael and Riley, but the kids played silently enough (the eye of the hurricane, as he saw it). Danielle had her feet propped up on an ottoman as she relaxed in a rocking chair, reading a newspaper and sighing. Mae was doing a crossword puzzle on the other chair, but was slowly falling asleep as the hours crept deeper into darkness and her boredom was reaching a crescendo. Devon and Rogue had been interested in each other in a corner near a basement door, their faces too close for comfort as they talked quietly to each other in silent tones, where the mother cat and kittens had finally settled. Logan heard some pretty terms of endearment, but chalked that up to young love.

The only person missing was Parker. The morning before, he left the cabin with a pack on his back, promising Logan some help and protection from Department H, but as long as they stayed in the house and allowed no one in, the Sentinels would leave them alone. Since then, they have made themselves comfortably nervous and tried to feel at home. They were isolated in a cabin with robotic killers on the loose outside their doors, their names well known to be linked to a terrorist act in Kansas (as far as Logan saw it) and their pictures plastered up as former prisoners. Parker leaving them cooped up may have been a mercy on their lives, but it was slowing draining on his patience. He could hardly take being cooped up much longer.

Danielle then noticed Logan after a few moments and smiled. She tried getting up to greet him as he stood there stubbornly with arms crossed, but Logan motioned that she stay put. While Mae had slowly drifted off to sleep finally and Michael and Riley were too involved with their toys and cats to watch their mother, Logan had time with Danielle all to himself. Throwing a casual word to Devon and Rogue to watch the kids (a vain effort, as he saw it), he picked Danielle up, amongst her protests and newspaper sections flying from her hands. He then carried her upstairs in rapid steps, slipping a light on in the bedroom they shared with Mae and closing the door behind them, but without the benefit of a lock.

Still hearing the annoying protesting, Logan jumped on the bed with Danielle, securing her in his arms, and landed on his back with skill, making sure Danielle was able to sit up on top of him, her legs next to his head. Danielle immediately saw the mischief in Logan's eyes and laughed.

"Logan!" Danielle admonished, but she was too giggly to be serious anyway. "We shouldn't…"

"Naw, not tonight," Logan replied, kissing her hard on the lips before falling back on the pillows with a heavy thud, the adamantium weighing the bed down. "Another night maybe."

"Gee, get a girl excited all over nothing." Danielle continued to laugh, but worryingly stared at the door. What she was afraid of, Logan could not tell, but if he had to take a guess, it would be from her last imprisonment. The doors were enough to make anyone nervous, he remembered, and any light behind it was a sign of death.

Logan then traced the M on Danielle's face gently, trying to get her back into the present and her head out of the clouds. She turned back to him and smiled, but that too had been hollow, one of defeat. He then moved away from the scar and traced his fingers down to her neck, chest and abdomen, lingering where the baby was. He felt some movement underneath there, more kicking than anything else, and suddenly moved his hand away from the action. Still unaccustomed to being tied down like this, Logan tried to keep a grip on his own emotions. He argued in his mind that it was worth the effort, everyday of it, and only had to see Danielle and her – _their_ – kids to know the great difference.

Danielle slipped off of Logan and curled to his right side, feeling his arms reach over and hold her tightly. They were starting to see that too much space was in-between them already (the baby seemed to be growing daily, even at five months), but the two did not seem to care. Other matters stemmed into their consciousness and the time alone seemed to be the only opportunity to talk. Their time alone was soon going to be at an end, when Mae woke up and Devon and Rogue realized what was going on.

"Why can't we let anyone in?" Danielle wondered out loud, voicing a concern that even Logan had. "Parker had no issues leaving and there had been no Sentinels in sight that I sensed."

"Sense us nearby even if we can't?" Logan theorized. "How should I know?"

"Could be," Danielle agreed. "But I don't like it."

"Only person we have right now who is sheltering us. Only person we _can_ trust right now."

"I know, Logan, but it doesn't mean I like it. I see a safety net, but even that could be cut. Parker is a ghost though, a person everyone thinks is dead except for a few people. Even his _son_ thinks he's dead, for Christ's sake. And that could be dangerous for us, once people who know him to be alive can use him to their advantage."

Logan had to concede to that point, even if he saw it unlikely. Even if those higher up thought that Parker was too much of a threat (and that's possible nowadays, all things considering), then they could pull his anonymous country trappings away and sell them to the highest bidder. Logan was still sure that they were being tracked somehow, linked to many things (being mutants one of them), and he was not about to allow his family to be wasted on a government agency that could see them dead.

Indeed, all they depended on was a thin thread. If Parker or those in charge of him decided to cut it, they had to fall…_hard_. And Logan was not about to allow that to happen ever again.

"Besides," Danielle added, "why should we trust him to help us to Alberta?"

"He and his wife saved me over sixty years ago," Logan revealed. "They were good people back then…good agents…and were willing to help anyone they could. I see that it's still there, but there's helplessness. We might have to return the favor."

"Mercy is supposed to be deserved," Danielle pointed out, seeing where Logan was going with his words.

"Richard Parker is an old man," Logan argued. "They torture him, just like they might do to us if we're not careful, then death will be the best release and maybe the only option he has. Death would welcome him with open arms."

Danielle nodded, seeing Logan's point. She might have to kill them all as an assassin should, one by one, and do it to herself…if that was all they ever had left.

Quiet soon descended down upon the two. The world twisted and turned to night and the lights downstairs were flicked on quickly by hands seeing that change was afoot. While Rogue and Devon seemed to be corralling Michael and Riley (for once away from each other), they soon allowed them to turn to their usual tricks. By the time Mae was woken up, Danielle knew that she had to be downstairs soon enough. Her elderly sister-in-law now was fighting with the younger two and also yelling at the older pair about sucking face while they had to babysit. In seconds, Mae was suddenly wondered where Danielle and Logan were. Logan put his finger to his lips for silence and turned off the light, giving Mae no immediate clues…_yet_.

"Shouldn't we…?" Danielle started to ask, but Logan put a hand over her mouth for silence.

"Not yet," Logan whispered back, pulling Danielle closer and pulling a blanket over them all.

~00~

_**October 31**_

_We are still alone in this cabin, tied inside a house during the night of the thinnest veils from one world to the next. While Parker has yet to come back, he did send word back yesterday that he was still in town sleeping on a bench, waiting for a transport to take him to the next rustic settlement, and that he would send another message when he was safely there. While I have felt this to be a bad omen, we are nonetheless very hopeful, but even that is failing us. Even Logan has his doubts (Mae too, I must add, and she never words them loudly), but there can be no turning back now. Once we put our lives in Parker's hands, we cannot jump out of them. We must run with the fortune he brings or fall with it._

_At least there was something I didn't need to worry about though. The food storage has been well stocked regardless, I must say too, especially the stacks of candy on the top shelves in the kitchen. While Riley has been begging to find the candy like Easter eggs instead of trick or treating (because there are no neighbors to bother, like in Salem Center), he has been pulling Michael along to do it with him. Although my eldest declared that he was too old for such games, he went along with it anyway. He and Riley have been hidden in the loft for some time now, asking if we have concealed all the candy yet. While I keep yelling back a negative answer every time (and just now even!), they are impatient and anxious for their fun._

_I want to see them smile again. I _want_ them to be happy, even if it's for a night, and remember that they are children again. I have protected them from too much and Leon had exposed them to many more. They are children of the war, born from a man who started it and was too soon assassinated by a man named as their grandfather._

_You know, as I sit here and observe the others hiding all that candy…I must say that I find it odd too that Rogue and Devon are getting along a little too…well, I don't know the word…_nicely_, I think. From New York onward, I think of them getting closer and closer, two mutants stuck in close quarters with broken hearts and similar experiences. I think Devon doesn't see Rogue as the traitor she's painted to be and Rogue doesn't see Devon as the orphan who saw his parents murdered. While I am seeing heartbreak in this relationship already, I want them to have the happiness denied to them for so long now. Rogue is still nursing her wounds from Bobby and Devon is perhaps experiencing a good time, but I still see them as friends too, even after their eventual fallout._

_Perhaps I am being too pessimistic with everything. I see doom in relationships, this mission and even humanity as a whole. But after those weeks away…the years I spend in hiding and being imprisoned for peace…the time I spent fighting with the man I was to marry…I still feel weary, fatigued to the core. I am tired, a mutant woman too old before her time, and soon to give up on everything that I was ever taught. My mother showed me what peace was and reminded me that it was always reachable before she chose the peaceful sleep of death. The Professor gave me a taste of what hope was and always believed in it, even after humanity showed him something different. Logan showered me with love and reminded me of what passion really was. Jean and Storm each reached out a hand of sisterhood, even if it meant years apart, hearts broken and even giggles silenced by tears. Each one of my children – Devon, Michael and Riley – each gave me the joy no mother could ever have._

_I could never imagine life without any of them, even if some had been lost to me many times and one is already dead. But I recalled what it had been to be all alone, to have nobody beside you to say everything was going to be fine. I remembered what it was like to feel the loss, to run my fingers through death and steel myself for worse than a soul running away. And it all began with a shot and laughter in a farmhouse kitchen over ten years ago._

_Rogue is now telling me that they're ready for the kids. I smiled at her, but even her words give me some excitement, but even I want to see some enjoyment, even for a few hours. Perhaps, each moment shall be like a butterfly. It's hard to catch, but always precious to hold._


	15. Who'll Stop the Rain?

_**November 2**_

_It is still dark outside. I woke up a few minutes ago before the dawn's first light, unaccustomed to being in the cabin still, and remember that I am still here. I am not tucked in a dark hole alone, begging for mercy, begging for the pain to stop and the ability to use my powers and die, just like everyone I know in my family. I am breathing deeply, too harshly and loudly for my own good, but I am glad to not wake up Mae and Logan, but my mind seems scattered and without order. While both seem to be sleeping soundly, I feel a need to convey the nightmare, one that keeps coming back over and over again, much like my life with Leon and Peter Ellis both._

_The horrible dream began as it did in real life and continued to its end almost, although I would rather forget so much of it. After my supposedly beloved ex-boyfriend Vinnie Paul had betrayed me and condemned me to a life without light in the darkness, I couldn't remember much else afterward except for a door…a door that opened and shut with the command of the black man, the head of the rest of those in black. In and out, questions asked and questions never answered. I cannot remember them all, all of those inquiries about who I was, where I had been and when I was places. Day after day, in untold hours, I kept onto beliefs that made me either hope or despair. I wanted to die, but I never allowed to. I wanted the torture to go away, the shock of the inhumanity to be chased away, but it never was. And it never would._

_I begged many times for my children's lives. I could count the many times I did, but could not tell you the many times I was denied, whipped away from their feet and soon marked as a mutant, the letter M on my face etched deeply inside of me. They told they would kill Michael and Riley, even though they both choose life and death like I could, and they would make me watch before they killed me too. They would find a way to make Logan feel pain, ensuring that they knew the secrets Yashida had. They would make sure my family suffered the same fate I would._

_But they never knew I was pregnant and never saw beneath the dress I wore the day I was captured because it did not matter. They never knew that new life was blooming underneath me and they were so close to killing that, so close they were to making this baby the fifth death on my head. Perhaps that was something that held me too, something that made me hold onto the hope more than the despair. It kept from trying to pull the collar off of my neck, to embrace the death that walked hand-in-hand with me years, and to run away to the endless skies. But back and forth I went, back and forth…_

_Another thing that kept my sanity, as it did in the dream, was an incredible story that I never told Rogue when she confessed to me her trials before she too was sent to the camp in Kansas, something I chose to forget until now. While she told me that vicious remaining population of the Professor's school have condemned her to the name of traitor, the one who helped had perhaps met a grisly death. The one prisoner that came from the Kansas camp to her death was none other than Jubilation Lee, who everyone had called Jubilee._

_I can't remember when I stumbled upon her story. I think I was trying to forget the last day with the black man, but it was many days I did that. No, I recall that I was on the cold stone floor, wrists bleeding from the chains that they dragged and bolted me to, and crawling…to what, I could not remember, but I knew that I put a hand to the damp wall and found something yellow and loose within the cold bricks. When my curiosity was piqued, I attempted again to pull the thin piece out and it came loose. It was a folded piece of toilet paper, many more of them stuffed into the wall, but it could be easily hidden. Inside was the familiar penciled spiky and less cocky handwriting of a student who put her head very high…and lost her pride many times over._

_Jubilee had started where everyone does: childhood. When there was no light in the doorway, I strained my eyes in the dim cell, reading her regretful words, starting from she lived a careless life in Beverly Hills to her parents' death, a mistake made after some hitmen thought her parents to be some other family. Although Jubilee was not there when it happened, it haunted her for the rest of her days, from the foster homes that put a roof over her head for a while to running away when her mutation had developed. After running away from mall security guards after stealing some food to survive, Jubilee realized that she could emit energy through a unique fireworks display and a large flash of light, which allowed her to escape._

_Because of her powers, Jubilee was able to gain some money for herself, but the mall did not like her entertaining the people she stole from. The security guards sent an anti-mutant group, called the M-Squad (the prelude to what Leon was developing), after her. She escaped them for a little while, but it wasn't long before she was caught outside the mall…and luckily going right into Storm's hands. While at first she was excited about going to school with the Professor, her aunt soon picked her up and took her home to Los Angeles, but that soon ended when her aunt was caught in an assassin's ring. Jubilee contacted Storm again and she soon made Salem Center her home._

_Jubilee regretted everything she said even in harmless gossip, every untrue word she ever said. But her convictions stayed the same. She could not be swayed, knowing us to be doomed in every way. From her journey to Kansas, separated from the rest of the group, she saw the escape go down and was helpless to do anything. The next day, as a punishment (as well as the killing of many children with Hank watching, close to tears), she and some others were shipped here, a base specializing in mutants too powerful for their own good. More were going to be on the list to die with her, had we not interfered when we did._

_I could not read more until much later, after Jubilee declared that her death was near…when the dark turned too light and the black man returned…but I skimmed through more than I should, words of joy and discovery when Jubilee was at school and how shameful she was at the end. Words blurred, my eyes begged for a break and I soon claimed the Grim Reaper as my friend when nothing had changed, when nobody was giving me succor. While I looked into a different light and courted the tunnel often, I was also hearing some things outside my door, caught between one world and the next. There was a new mutant captured in the woods, the guards said, and he seemed to be a high-profiled one too. He had been seen one and off for years in government agencies, but had disappeared until recently at Salem Center. He seemed immortal too, but they thought that toying with his powers might turn him to putty in their hands._

_I could not probe. I had learned long ago that I could reach out through the walls, could not send an invisible hand to wave a flag of help, and only heard bits and pieces of life outside my small cell. But the words made me think. I knew very few mutants that could be so-called immortal, but there was only one that could come here and perhaps risk everything, including the life that he wanted to end long ago._

Logan.

_While I do not count Logan being immortal (he ages slowly and can heal, to be honest), I did know in my heart that he had come…and he was about to receive the same treatment I did. As I tossed and turned in my new kind of sleep, all I could remember was the scream from some cells away. It was animalistic, to be truthful, and sounded like one wounded._

_I was dazed at that point though. I could not recall if it was another dream or reality, but all I could remember next was the light slamming hard unto my face and being picked up, the collar ripped off of my neck like it was easy. I did not recognize anything, did not know where I was going or what I was doing away from my cell. All I remembered was the harshness of the flight, of mutants weakly rubbing their eyes and escaping with us and of shots behind us._

_Most of all, I remembered the rain. Water drenched us when we rushed out into it, the cleansing I never knew we could have. It made me wonder if anyone had ever seen the rain or felt the tears from the sky that made them whole again. It always made me question why everything was so hot and cold at the same time, why everything seemed to hurt when it was cleaning me. I wondered when it was going to stop…_

Long as I remember,  
The rain been comin' down.  
Clouds of mystery pourin',  
Confusion on the ground.

Good men through the ages,  
Tryin' to find the sun.  
And I wonder, still I wonder,  
Who'll stop the rain?

I went down Virginia,  
Seekin' shelter from the storm.  
Caught up in the fable,  
I watched the tower grow.

Five-year plans and new deals,  
Wrapped in golden chains.  
And I wonder, still I wonder,  
Who'll stop the rain?

Heard the singers playin',  
How we cheered for more.  
The crowd had rushed together,  
Tryin' to keep warm.

Still the rain kept pourin',  
Fallin' on my ears…  
And I wonder, still I wonder,  
Who'll stop the rain?

_I was in and out for some time afterward, but the words of that song constantly spun inside of me. That song was continuously stuck in my head, droplets that sang with the words through a whirl of grey and white. And that was what kept me from running to the other side of the tunnel, where so many people waited for me…_

_The next thing I could clearly remember was a bed. Logan had managed to hide us in a hotel in Massachusetts somewhere in the deep woods, helped by someone who owned him a favor or whatever. He laid next to me sleeping, but I got up, sitting in bed thinking…shaking…always wishing that it would end. Some phase had, but in my heart, it would always go on._

_This feels too disorganized, but I feel my hands tremble when writing it. I cannot say anymore. Just closing my eyes, I could see it all again, like a broken record. I could not bear anymore of the burden now._

~00~

_**November 3**_

_It is late night again, but I am not the only one who is awake. Mae and Logan sit beside me in the living room. They too are hiding the new message from even Devon and Rogue, one that we received from Richard Parker some time ago. Although arriving in the post delivered to the door and slipped inside like with all the other mail, none of it makes sense. None of it gives us much more hope in Parker than before, but even I see that there is a long road ahead…and we might be here for a long, long time yet._

I have seen someone at the department, but they do not know anything about you except that you are on the loose. Do not, under any circumstances, leave. Since knowing of your existence, they are now after you and the Sentinels are now programmed to kill on sight. Keep inside and answer to no one. I shall return soon.

_Again, I am seeing the rainfall. This note has declared my deepest fears._

* * *

**Just a new notes...**

**Of course, above lyrics are from the Creedence Clearwater Revival song, "Who'll Stop the Rain?"**

**Concerning the information on Jubilee though, most of her early life came from (again) the Marvel Database, which I credit for giving me some insight into her early character life. Of course, the rest of it was my imagination as well, from the gossip queen she had been portrayed as to the repentant in the cell. I left her fate a mystery though. We'll see what happens. :)**


	16. The Simplest Moments

Although it was a pretty nice hotel, Bobby had to admit that the best part was always the main downstairs social room, where what appeared to be a ballroom hosted dinners and dances every night, attracting all alike, even those far from the town. While he and Kitty had reported back to their base often since barely escaping from Camp XVI, they had been more careful in concealing themselves, especially in this ballroom with so many eyes, and acting as normal as possible. The Professor even had deemed it safer that he and Kitty leave their rooms, but he and the others preferred each others' company and to stay as far away as possible. It had been a week since their arrival and a few more days before their departure, but it was relaxing to be young at heart again and realize that nobody was after them yet.

It was also a chance to see Kitty pretty, especially since Bobby wanted to ask her the ultimate question and he needed her to appear a little nice to do it (in his mind anyway). He even had asked her time and again to wear a dress for him and he'll wear a suit (one he bought at the border and packed away), but she's refused him each time. Now, in a rich atmosphere that practically _demanded_ that someone be dolled up, Bobby had the opportunity of a lifetime and it was slowly slipping away. He asked Kitty one more time as they went down for breakfast the day before leaving, just to use his puppy-dog eyes and pout, and was awarded with a smile. Kitty replied nothing, but continued on her way downstairs, wanting food as much as the others upstairs. However, after eating, she left the hotel, telling no one where she was going, but that she'll be back soon.

That worried some of the group, but the Professor was the one to calm everyone down. "I am sure there is a reason," he only said, winking at Bobby specifically.

That night, seeing that Kitty had yet to arrive back to their room (and feeling more and more scared about asking the question), Bobby decided to put his suit and nice shoes on after all. He felt that, even without Kitty, he still could have an evening full of fun, dances and even drinks, although he would miss her calm presence and the peace of mind she always gave him.

Seeing himself in the mirror in their room though, Bobby studied himself. Although older than he was when he arrived at Salem Center – getting on his mid twenties now – Bobby realized that he no longer had the energy he used to have ten plus years ago. His hair was going a little grey in some areas, worry lines crept in and out of his eyes and his body still displayed the "former prisoner" demeanor, almost as a betrayal, if someone looked at him in the right light. However, he still considered himself young enough to consider his future still secure, if only he could make it better for others as well. He thought himself not as a parent, like most mutants at the school had pictured, but maybe as an instructor for others, a do-gooder maybe. He imagined a good life with Kitty alone, traveling the world together and being accepted the way they are…

Bobby quickly dashed the last image away. _Who the hell am I kidding?_

All Bobby had to do was think of the last time he saw his parents and his brother. He, as well as Rogue and the mutant who called himself Pyro nowadays (wherever the hell he was), could have been killed by the police (minus "Professor" Logan of the art classes, of course). They managed to get into the jet just in time, but the feeling that your own family did not like that you were a mutant…that they felt hostility over the lies from him and the Professor both…and that they considered him a freak…did not make Bobby feel any better about himself. Indeed, he wanted that secure and quiet life, but with the way things were going, he did not see it in the future at all.

Satisfied that he appeared decent enough for the ballroom (as well as the dark-skinned ladies who adored his pale skin and uniform), Bobby left the room, locking it behind him before making his own downstairs. Although passing Matthew, Magneto, Hank McCoy and even Roger Mortimer with confused glances and snide comments (mostly about him and hot dates), he did not notice much activity in the hotel. All of the action was downstairs.

The music seemed lively, Bobby admitted to himself. They were playing modern music (and nothing that would make him physically vomit) and the dancing had been animated, although most of the ladies were disappointed with the lack of partners. Indeed, there was a line of men out the door of the ballroom, all of them clamoring for a chance to dance with some American girl from the border patrol.

Bobby saw that the line boring, but found it more entertaining to find a seat inside the ballroom, watching the action. He then declined one lady after another, finally being forced to the floor by an elderly woman used to having her way, and soon was drifting to the bar all on his own. After downing one drink after another (even seeing a suited Matthew Adams joining him in silence), Bobby finally catch a glance of the woman everyone was wanting to dance with.

_It was Kitty!_

Bobby choked on his last drink, which drew Matthew's attention. He knew that Kitty was an expert in ballet, but had never seen her actually _dancing_ anything but. She was hot on her feet, taking steps as if there were knives in her very soles, and would quickly discard one man after another when the song was over. She took no partner twice, had no sweat painted on her face and was making every woman out there jealous. She even twirled a pretty twist, perhaps just for Bobby (or so he'd like to think), her short and silky black dress matching everything about her, from the brown hair and eyes to her ankles twinkling with silver slippers.

Matthew nudged Bobby in the shoulder with an elbow. He didn't realize that he had his mouth open until the older mutant laughed at him, ordering another drink for himself and Bobby.

"What the hell?" Bobby asked, annoyed as he watched Kitty push away another partner and gain another just as quickly.

"Man, just _ask_ her, if you want her so badly," Matthew teased, handing Bobby his new drink hard. Bobby took a sip (a Jack Daniels and coke mix, he noticed), but said nothing in response, feeling that he did not need to yet.

After a few minutes though, Bobby soon felt he had to defend himself, especially when Matthew added no new barb. "I never knew to be…so, I don't know…_perfect_. The way she walks, talks and even kisses me…the way she twists guys around her little pinkie…it's just like she's gifted from God himself. He made her so perfect for me that even I feel pretty inferior."

"I guess that's what love is all about," Matthew pointed out, sounding serious for once. "Listen, Bobby, every guy sometimes feels that way when they feel like they found the one for them. I know about the heartache when it comes to women, but seriously, man…get out there and claim her. Show these guys that she's the perfect one for you and she'll tell 'em that she's all yours. All you need is a simple song that blows them all away and go and dance with her to your heart's content."

"Kinda like your cousin that way, aren't you?" Bobby asked, dimly remembering that Danielle Ellis, Matthew's cousin, always loved music of every kind.

"Music inspires, rejoices and rejects," Matthew replied without looking at Bobby. "It shows us love, hate, sorrow and joy all at once and even remind us of the simplest moments in time, when the best had passed and the worst had descended upon us. It uplifts spirits and even smashes them just as fast."

"I never knew you to be so sentimental."

"Yeah, well, you jackass, having a tough life gets you all touchy-feely sometimes, but I never like showing it, especially when I can't trust anyone. Now, go out there and show 'em your stuff."

Bobby was about to protest and hide behind his drink once more, but Matthew got up and had to physically push him out of the bar and onto the dance floor. "And stay_ out_!" Matthew yelled, winking at Bobby when he finally started towards Kitty.

The lights seemed to have dimmed then, Bobby noticed, and the only light was on Kitty herself. Her last partner was on the loose, begging for more, but her brown eyes slowly turned to him, like he was the only man in the room. As the music slowly started, a new song perhaps, Bobby raised his hands towards Kitty and soon wrapped them around her waist. She soon had hers around his neck, in the most casual manner, but their bodies were so close that Bobby could smell the lavender perfume on her neck. He resisted the temptation to nibble, but contented himself putting his nose there instead.

_I need another story,  
Something to get off my chest.  
My life gets kinda boring,  
Need something that I can confess._

'_Til all my sleeves are stained red,  
From all the truth that I've said,  
Come by it honestly, I swear.  
Thought you saw me wink, no…  
I've been on the brink, so…_

"I never knew you were so good at –" Bobby started before a look from Kitty ended the statement, a finger to his lips silencing him for the moment.

"Never spoil a good secret," Kitty interrupted instead, her finger tracing down Bobby's face and neck.

"You said you did ballet as a child."

"I did. But I never added that I took other dancing lessons too. It helped that Ms. Munroe had the same skills I did and continued those with me when I came to the school."

"Really?" Bobby was impressed.

"Really. Now, you gonna tell me a secret, since you know one of mine?"

_Tell me what you want to hear,  
Something that will light those ears.  
Sick of all the insincere,  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_This time, don't need another perfect lie.  
Don't care if critics ever jump in line,  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away…_

"I liked ice skating with you, the first night at the fountain," Bobby admitted.

Kitty snorted, close to throwing her head back and laughing. "I knew that. I did too. Try something new."

"I like all New England sports teams."

"I knew that too. What kid in Boston does not like the Patriots and Red Sox?"

"My brother."

The tone made Kitty pause, so hostile did Bobby sound. "I'm sorry to hear that. But it must have been some good competition."

Bobby laughed. "And pretty dangerous too! You have _no_ idea what it's like, to not love those teams and be in Boston…"

_My God, amazing how we got this far.  
It's like we're chasing all those stars.  
Who's driving shiny big black cars?  
And everyday I see the news,  
All the problems that we could solve._

_And when a situation rises,  
Just write it into an album.  
Send it straight to gold,  
I don't really like my flow, no, so…_

_Tell me what you want to hear,  
Something that are like those years.  
Sick of all the insincere,  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away._

_This time, don't need another perfect lie,  
Don't care if critics never jump in line.  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away…_

They went from one side of the room to the other, the light following them, and the eyes seemed to have become one set, so much did they blur. Kitty felt like putty in Bobby's arms, so perfect did she feel in them. She melted and blended right in, a secret of his heart, and now for all to see. Those angry and annoyed eyes…those men that dared to try and take Kitty away from Bobby and failed…they were too jealous. And for some reason, Bobby enjoyed that. He did not care. Matthew was right. He had to claim what was his. Kitty showed off just for him, waited for him, and now was doing her finale, with him as her equal.

"What are you thinking about?" Kitty had to ask when she saw Bobby's tranquil face.

"Huh?" Bobby shook his head. "Nothing…oh, nothing special. I'm just thinking that a certain woman with brown hair and eyes looks pretty sexy in a black dress and no heels."

"Flats are never overrated," Kitty admitted without shame. "Heels are awkward to walk in."

"Perhaps…or they can be the perfect weapon against suitors."

Kitty blushed. "I think I have one and only one."

Bobby leaned in closer, stealing a kiss. "We'll see about that," he replied in such a loud teasing manner, kissing Kitty again and again.

_Oh, got no reason, got no shame,  
Got no family I can't blame.  
Just don't let me disappear,  
I'mma tell you everything…_

_So tell me what you want to hear,  
Something that'll light those ears.  
Sick of all the insincere,  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away._

_This time, don't need another perfect lie.  
Don't care if critics never jump in line,  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away…_

"Any other confessions you want to make?" Kitty asked Bobby in the same teasing manner, wanting to see where Bobby was heading with his bold actions.

"Maybe," Bobby admitted, reaching into his pocket with one hand…

_So tell me what you want to hear,  
Something that delight those ears.  
Sick of all the insincere,  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away._

_This time, don't need another perfect lie.  
Don't care if critics ever jump in line,  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away.  
All my secrets away, all my secrets away…_

By then, the song ended with a whisper. Bobby and Kitty remained in the center of the dance floor, transfixed into each others' eyes for the moment. Then, Bobby cleared his throat to chase the moment away, detangling himself from Kitty and trying to keep his cool, but he soon was losing his courage (as well as wanting to run back to the bar). Then, before everyone in the room, he instantly kneeled before Kitty, displaying the box he held onto to for some time now, carrying with him across borders, riots and blood…all to get here and to grace Kitty's finger, he hoped.

"Will you marry me?" Bobby asked, his tone begging Kitty for more than just an existence together, wishing for more togetherness and strength.

There was only one answer Kitty could give. She gave no thought, no warning, and only pulled Bobby to his feet, kissing him passionately before the crowds around them. All of them either had sullen looks or had cheered them on.

* * *

**Above lyrics are from the One Republic song, "Secrets".**


	17. No Matter the Consequences

It had been easy to choose another identity and move on from Yekaterinburg after the assassination. Forged papers sent ahead and her apartment and people secure for the time being, Mystique sat in a railcar alone, on her way to her next destination. She was supposed to meet her group of mutants in Tomsk, which was some miles (as well as many hours in the very hot and overcrowded train car) away, but that was nothing of consequence to the mistress of changes and chances. She was slowly thinking of her next target, now that she was blooded again, and her thirst was not quenched as of yet. Pasternack had been too easy, she figured, and his family and colleagues missed him very little, although the investigation into his murder was ongoing. She needed someone of greater importance, someone who affected mutants everywhere, and she wanted that shot heard around the world, just like her assassination of Bolivar Trask had been.

Mystique soon bristled with the memory that came unbidden to her, but all of them soon came crashing down on her. It came unbidden to her, like a hot poker from the fire, and it almost made her angry to think about it. Trask was building weapons against mutants, for God's sake, and somebody had to take care of him quickly…but only that made it worse, it seemed, and made her want to kill more and more and more…until she felt that there was nobody left to kill. And that thought left her wondering how it all began, leaving her to think of only one person.

_Oh, Erik…_

Magneto had spent his time after that afternoon on the Cuban beach to his capture in Dallas the next year (whether he was with her and the others of his Brotherhood or not) coaching her in everything, from learning codes, shooting guns and first aid. When the two of them found each other in Dallas, after some months of separation after a heated argument in bed (a lovers' quarrel, _he_ called it), Mystique had found her first target. Magneto was actually trying to stop her, trying to tell her something in desperate tones, but Mystique did not want to hear it. She wanted to feel again the assassin's rage, the revenge to those who had hurt her and her kind, and to be proud of who she really was, despite everything she was ever taught by Charles Xavier. And that was going to be her downfall.

The woman of many faces wanted to see the blood this time, watch as the bullet moved from one person to the next…and had found the perfect person to instigate it and the other to blame.

Lee Harvey Oswald had been assigned to take a few pop shots, the scapegoat of the whole conspiracy to kill Kennedy from what was known (no other players had been known, as far as investigated), but Mystique did not want him entirely blamed. Still seething from the last large argument with Magneto as he attempted to say that the president was one of them and there to help for once, Mystique punched him in the face quickly, seeing the unconscious body hit the ground. Hiding his body in the bushes nearby within seconds, Mystique took on Magneto's form, her mind racing with the new possibilities, and waited for the conspiracy to unfold…and for Oswald to make his shots heard.

It didn't take much time and effort after the fist bullet was shot from the window above their heads, from the schoolbook depository. Mystique thoroughly enjoyed making the metal move, but it was too quick, even for her. She waved her hands a few times, watching as it went from one person to the next, and almost flinched when the Secret Service jumped onto the back of the car with Mrs. Kennedy helping them up. But she had been quick to cover her tracks after seeing the aftermath of her work. As the chaos started, she ducked down and transformed into a woman, a non-descriptive white woman who blended right in, and ran with some others to see the results of the assassination. She even dared to cry with the rest of them, watching as the car raced to the hospital and soon announced the death of the president at one o'clock that afternoon.

It didn't take too long to hear of the victory, but it had been hollow, if Mystique ever thought about it. But Erik had immediately been taken into custody due to witnesses supposedly seeing him control the bullet, spending ten years in prison for a crime she framed him for. Oswald was killed by Jack Ruby and still, the whole assassination remains a mist, a cloud of conspiracy and mystery that nobody could solve, save for those who were given the chance to watch Magneto's secret trial, the one condemning him as a murderer instead of her.

And it did not take him long to find him after he broke out of jail. Although Magneto had said nothing of _how_ he escaped, he had been quick to find her in Paris after she was using the North Vietnamese's general identity, at the beginning of the peace treaties for the Vietnam War's end. She had just killed Trask and barely escaped the conference room, soon changing into a different woman and checking into a hotel, to hide the blood on her hands and h hatred in her heart. She knew that people were hot on her trail and she would soon be captured, but was surprised to see her former lover behind the hotel door, no longer incarcerated and free to do as he pleased.

Magneto even looked the part of the escaped prisoner, but his face did not seem recognizable at first. He had barely shaved, his eyes dull from the years underground the Pentagon and he even was pale, to the point where Mystique even saw some veins in plain sight, he was that transparent.

"Oh, hello," Mystique greeted Magneto casually, throwing her coat to one side on the floor in indifference as she closed the door behind her.

"Is this how you welcome an old friend after many years?" Magneto asked her, soon pinning her to a wall and kissing her hard. Mystique answered with the press of her own blue lips as she changed back to her normal body, but it wasn't long before she turned Magneto around and had him against the wall, his wrists locked between her fingers.

"What are you doing here, Erik?" she asked, her tone demanding as she changed back into a normal woman, even though Magneto was compliant for now. "You heard the news recently?"

"I'm not that stupid." Magneto released himself easily. "You weren't always a good shot, but now you've done it…a message to all mutantkind. I can hardly contain my excitement at the new future you've started."

Mystique turned back into her blue form, to avoid Magneto seeing her blush with pride, although she knew that some of it was almost sarcastic. "I did what I had to do. Trask was going to kill us all, Erik. Imprison us in cells and be trapped by those machines in a ring of fire and madness. It's the least I can do for all of us."

"And from all of us, I thank you." Magneto extended his hand, as if in friendship, but soon, the stairs nearby rumbled with the sound of heavy footsteps. He pulled his hand back, seeing the fire escape in the window nearby on the right.

Mystique soon had him locked in her arms again when she saw the opportunity, a knife to his throat. "You brought them here."

Magneto laughed, using his feet to swipe under Mystique's feet. As she fell, the knife flew in the air, Magneto grabbing it by the hilt. As Mystique hit the floor, he threw the knife again, but the tip narrowly missed the blue head, catching some red hair as it wedged itself into the wooden floor. Magneto smiled, but it was vacant and perhaps a little cruel and cold, almost as if this was revenge for what Mystique had done to him, all those years ago. He then raced for the window, opening it, but he turned around, as if to say his farewells at the last moment.

"I would applaud you for this action, but we are simply out of time," Magneto merely said. "If you need me, you'll know where to find me. Each day, I stand to walk here at three in the afternoon and feed the birds before the bench as I rest there from a long trek. Thirty-seven point seven-seven and negative one hundred and twenty-two point forty-one."

It was then that Magneto disappeared without a trace, just seconds before federal agents caught Mystique, too stunned to move on the floor as the knife tangled in her hair. Arrested on murder charges and brought to prison without a trial, they took her to multiple cells, making sure she never escaped or used her powers, and finally dumped her on Trask Industries in 1975 (in an ironic move), where she became an experiment for years. They found her the perfect specimen, all right, and it had taken more years to break away from the torture and pain. By 1981, when Mystique felt that all hope had been lost, dying in her lonely cell in Trask underground, there was a chance to escape…and she took it. Other mutants had been housed with her and one had taken the audacity to plan out their flight. Days later, she was soon running away from New York City and taking a trip across the country. Magneto had not given her the numbers at that hotel in Paris randomly.

_Erik had a plan for everything._ In the present moment on the train, Mystique saw her reflection in the thick window, a younger woman in widow's weeds and clenching her purse tightly, but she was soon drifting backwards into the past. _He sent me the coordinates to San Francisco's city hall. And there he was, sitting on a bench and feeding those damned birds. He greeted me like we had not been apart for almost another ten years, took my arm and off we went. He had that house on the crooked street, which he soon sold, and he bought another place far away from the obvious. And who could blame Erik, after years of threatening the world and almost being a ruler of his own island?_

Mystique thought Magneto still too egotistical then (he was still trying to get over being denied that island rule), a maniac of sorts, but their former spark was no longer there nor had they talked about it ever again. They became more of business partners and even friends, with Magneto at the lead and Mystique helping with the planning and execution of their schemes. Most of the time though, they had been foiled, some of it resulting in one (or both) of them going to jail, the last being Magneto in his plastic prison built and operated by Stryker and Trask back in 2002.

But all of those plots – from the day on the shores of Cuba to even Alkali Lake – had been a ripple in the water, consequences of the actions of humans and countered by mutants. And Mystique was no longer merciful to their pathetic pleas for help and had long ago decided that it was not worth it to have a heart. She had been bullied, harassed and even almost dead because of these people. Helping those of her kind was a piece of her heart that she could not release. Getting rid of human scum and making the world free for all mutants…_that_ had been a good mission.

Back in the present moment again, Mystique heard a squeal. While the train was slowly to its next destination, which seemed to not be hers (she had a few more stops to go), she noticed the TV turning on. A man was interested in news, which soon consumed her as well as the others. Other than the news of the death of Pasternack and how the investigation was ongoing still, there was also a live speech from the new president of the Russian Federation. Already with his puppet master already in the background, the balding man (who was most likely former KGB, Mystique figured) spoke of many things, mostly of the Russian struggle to be freed of tyranny, but the man behind the president always whispered in his ear, especially after the speech. Mystique's trained eyes watched the master at his work, waving to the audience like he was the president, and watched as adoring women were fainting by his sight.

Mystique turned away, unwilling to translate anymore than she needed to. Although accepting a free cup of tea from someone passing out drinks and adding two cubes of sugar she thought were needed, she did not want to show her intentions. Instead, she brooded over it, almost like poking at a wound gone bad, and decided that the man can be her next target when she was back west, but he could be on the backburner for now. She needed to know his routine, who guarded him, his weaknesses, etc. For now, she was satisfied in finding someone local, like that gruesome asshole Pasternack was, but that was neither here nor there. She was content in now having another mission to keep her going.

"Omsk! All departing for Omsk!"

The call for Mystique's stop was not there yet…_still_. It was even now some hours away, she hoped, and when she reached there, she would need to falsify more records for charges and move herself and the other mutants she fostered further east, perhaps to Chita or Tynda, the latter miles away from the railroad. For herself though, she was happy in being the shape shifter she was, assured of her safety and perhaps never to be caught again.

_Words are wind. Anyone could be caught._

It was a disconcerting thought. But Mystique was determined to counter it, no matter the consequences this time.

* * *

**Just a few notes here, as always...**

**It was suggested through the video _The Bent Bullet Theory_ that Magneto blamed Mystique for assuming his form and assassinating Kennedy. It was also mentioned in _Days of Future Past_ that Magneto was willing to compromise with Kennedy, since he told Xavier that he was "One of us!" As always, the Kennedy Assassination remains a mystery and always full of conspiracy theories, but this one always remains interesting and a good product of imagination.**

**Any other mention of Mystique's history has either been made up by me or was mentioned somehow in _Days of Future Past_. I'm hoping to get more into her character and how she died, before Logan tells her past self what happens in the future, after she assassinated Bolivar Trask.**


	18. Getting Down to Business

It was a wonderful view from on top of the Seattle Space Needle as it tilted left and right randomly. For Peter "Piotr" Nikolaievitch Rasputin though, it was more than just fun to watch the rainy skies turn grey and white, from the streets up, and wait for a dreaded meeting with a colleague. It was the perfect place to sit and rest, after a long day of guard duty at the border near Canada and with more to come this night, and to personally reflect upon his lucky circumstances so far. He said many times that they needed to end this battle, once and for all, and to unite as comrades, but this seemed a little more different than what he grew up with, what he was taught and how trying it all was.

Granted, Peter had grown up on what used to be a collective farm in Russia. The world was still experiencing the Cold War when he was very young and he always learned that it was best not to be American. However, he was always in rapture just being with his older siblings, Illyana and Mikhail, the only ones who accepted him as a mutant and always asked him for help. However, it all changed too quickly, when he accepted going to America after the Cold War ended and studying at Xavier's school in New York. He had no choice though, feeling the danger come to their home. Some Russians were intent on killing all the mutants and his family thought it was safer to smuggle him across the sea.

It was wonderful to be one of many people from different countries, Peter found, but also illegal. He had to hide his identity many times over, unwilling to compromise who he was, but finding that he was perfectly safe in the school. He developed his drawing skills, mastered the Danger Room when he was older and learned what teamwork really was. A few ups and downs were normal, he figured, especially growing up in what appeared to mostly be an American high school, but he shrugged those off, especially the one girl who stole his heart…and stomped on it completely. And that was the only girl he'd ever think of.

Kitty Pryde was a whole another matter for Peter. When Peter had first met the shy girl, she had just arrived from Chicago with Ms. Munroe. She was unable to say a word to anyone, let alone decide what courses she wanted to take. After a while though, she opened up, and the first person she talked with was Peter. He was flattered, of course, already imagining things with her (mostly from afar and always in his dreams) and sketching her many times in his notepads. However, that did not interested Kitty about Peter. What did were the drawings, which she tried copying (and failing to always), and the close quarters they were stuck in, always hated by people on the outside who did not understand them. While they dated for a little while, fights amongst them were often (usually the juiciest gossip Jubilee liked to share for the longest time) and Kitty was soon losing interest in Peter the boyfriend and viewing him more as Peter the friend. Their religious views conflicted one night (Kitty still clinging to her parents' Jewish faith and Peter being an atheist, although raised secretly Russian Orthodox) and then their political views.

Peter was always of the opinion that they needed to get over the fact that most of humanity as whole would never accept them and that the battle needed to end, once and for all, when the time had come. Kitty always thought that there was some way for someone to understand them and was always striving to get someone anti-mutant to see that they were harmless. Always the optimistic one, Peter thought, but then again, Kitty was not raised in a country always at war with itself and conflicting in its political views.

The Space Needle was turning left again. Sipping some tea and dropping in some real sugar cubes into the cup (a real treat he missed from Russia, Peter had to admit), the mutant named Colossus shook his head. Drama was never in his book of life, so he pushed it all away, just as he had Kitty (except for the tiny spot in his heart missing her), because that was what she had been about once Jubilee started in on Rogue. Besides, Kitty was soon aiming to be Bobby's next best thing in life and that had hurt him more than he would ever know. Peter didn't even think Kitty cared about those feelings anymore either.

_I would never tell Rogue though. I will never tell me that I felt the same pain she had, although never named as a traitor, and would always fondly remember what was and never will be._

Close quarters meant much more than just the Professor's supposed death, the new Cure, military vehicles surrounding the mansion and being captured and sent away to a camp. It meant death, destruction and ill will. It meant a new life behind bars and never a way to leave until the recent daring rescue. Had their escape gone the way it did though, Peter would have never landed in the comfortable position he had now, but would have been on the run still. It was all in thanks in Phineas Teller and Roger Mortimer that he was able to work with the northern Border Patrol and still smuggle more mutants up north, where the Red Cross set up a sanctuary for them. The latter had taken a mission somewhere, Peter heard, but the former was in Seattle himself, far away from the bar he lived and worked at and willing to help people like Peter start a new life away from the hatred and death.

And it was with a heavy heart that Peter was to meet Phineas Teller in the Space Needle. The old bar owner had some news from back east and was willing to share it with the mutant quietly in the busiest tourist trap in Seattle, but Peter dreaded this meeting more than any other, quite honestly. Although separated from Kitty and Bobby on purpose he felt, he was still anxious to hear some news about her, somehow wishing she still loved him.

It had taken some time for Teller to arrive, but he did some hours later, with little fanfare and with a frown on his face. Peter greeted him quietly as he sat down, but said nothing more. Teller than ordered some coffee, light cream and sugar, and studied Peter for a few minutes before his coffee arrived. Teller then stirred it some more, to avoid making conversation, and sipped on it. Putting the cup down, he tried smiling at Peter, but it was getting harder these days, Peter noticed. Lines on the old man's face were drawn in with that sad smile.

"How's the job?" Teller asked, trying to sound normal, even when he wasn't. Peter even saw that the two customary black diamonds that graced his face were covered in makeup.

"I guess fine," Peter replied. "It's very simple. Check the paperwork. Ensure nobody is a mutant. Grab those that are and tag them for the ride to the camps. Wave the people allowed to Canada in."

Teller nodded, taking another sip of coffee. "I take it there haven't been many mutants in these parts, since you've taken the position?"

"No," Peter answered, but even he knew the lie on his tongue was heavy. "The borders are very well protected from the mutants."

Again, Teller nodded.

"What news do you have from our comrades?" Peter then asked after a few minutes of silence, trying to make Teller speak and not shake his head constantly.

"New York base has been split," Teller revealed, but in a quieter tone. "One went north to Canada through New York and the other went south to Brazil through Texas and Mexico. Nobody has reached their destinations yet and I haven't been able to figure out who went where and why."

Now, it was time for Peter to frown. He was hoping for some news about Kitty.

"But don't worry," Teller continued, through another sip of coffee. "I'm sure to hear something more soon. Since we're so close to Canada, I wanted to hear more about what Logan is up to."

"_Wolverine_? Back in _Canada_?"

"Shh, Peter! Besides, don't you think a man far away from home won't go back to visit when he could? And if that's true, then he brought Danielle, her kids and maybe some others."

"Ghost and her children? Who else could have gone?"

"Mae Mortimer, if I had to take a guess. Maybe one of the youngsters your age, but I don't know yet. We'll see, like I said. We'll know more soon enough. And once we do and get word back from Xavier, we'll know what to do. We were told to sit and wait and do the best we could and run when we're told to, like your friend Sunspot was recently. Right now, I think we are doing the best we're doing. Right?"

Peter took a sip of tea. "Right, comrade."

Teller smiled this time. Peter was always warned to watch those grins (and he did always), but this time around, it seemed that Teller had a plan up his sleeve and he wasn't going to tell Peter yet. Somehow, he was going to get them paired up with those they separated with some months ago and somehow, get them to work a mission together. The battle Peter was looking for was finally coming and he was able to prove his worth.

"The group going south confuses me, but I figured they met up with Drake and Pryde," Teller continued. "I know there's someone down there, someone I'd love to meet, but not right now. I'm more concerned over you right now."

"Me?" Peter politely put his cup of tea down.

"Yes, you," Teller said. "You with the love sick mind here. You've been anxiously waiting for news of the ex-girlfriend, right?"

"How did you know?" Peter asked, unsurprised that Teller knew something of his personal life.

"Oh, I know many things," Teller revealed. "I made it my business to know who came into that school and who left. I watched pairs get together and break up, rumors of who did what for how many crème-filled cookies and which one betrayed who behind the bar. Salem Center was _my_ town. I owned it, ran it and pushed it to the ground. Now, people bigger than me have broken my life up and I'm here, in charge of you and your tough little ass. And you, asshole, have a hard lesson to learn about love."

"Yeah, what?" Peter felt challenged and would have punched Teller in the face had he remembered that showing off was something he could never do again, not for a long time. The Professor was right in telling them to resist the urge to show off.

"Once you love someone and they want to run away, let 'em go," Teller said. "She comes back, she's yours, if she hasn't dirtied up her life so much that you can't take her. She goes to someone else, be happy that she's there. She may be happy with another instead of you."

"But she ran to my friend instead of me," Peter protested.

"Well, that's her loss, now isn't it, hotshot?" Teller finished his coffee. "I see any woman could have their fill of you and more. But Katherine Pryde and Robert Drake have their own love life now and it doesn't include you as the third wheel. It was sneaky, underhanded and stupid, but that's life and drama for you. It's never fair, even with poor little Rogue being called those names. As for you, push it away, like you do with the rest of your life. That's the best you can do right now."

Peter shook his head. "And what if I meet them again and want to kill him?"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, remember?" Teller got up. "You keep that in mind. We can't choose our allies right now, because we're all under a common cause, but we can sort them out in the end. Be happy for your friends, Peter. It may save you some sanity in the future."

Teller walked away, leaving Peter again with his disconcerting thoughts. The news brought was a bit disturbing, yes, but it was better than hearing of someone dying and it left some hope after all. Peter didn't think he could take another death anymore though. He lost so much already, lost track of his family too, and was none the better for it and only wished for someone to be near. At that moment, Peter suddenly missed Mikhail, wondering what advice his older brother would give him, but that was a far cry. He alone out of the family helped in physically setting Peter across the sea to America to keep him safe and look where it got him.

_A comfortable job, helping mutants reach safety._

Peter had to smile to himself this time. For once, instead of wallowing in pity and misery, he felt a little grateful for the life he had. Teller had put some things in perspective, yes, but it was harsh, but he needed it. He had to be reminded time and again that he was useful and willing to be a part of the fight to break the bonds of discrimination and imprisonment for good.

The clock struck six, an hour after Teller left the table. Peter had an overnight shift and was soon to be late, if he did not leave soon. Paying for both the coffee and tea and leaving a tip, he left the Space Needle, feeling freer than he ever felt in his life as he walked the wet streets and smelled coffee from every corner. He felt lighter in his head, all thoughts of Kitty going away as he imagined more and more of the real damsels in distress and not girls who needed drama in their lives in order to be happy.

_Time to get down to business._

* * *

**Some of the information above (as well as the common saying Colossus had in the comics) came from the Marvel Database concerning the character The rest is a fabric of my imagination, as always. :)**


	19. Endurance and Strength

It had been a long journey south already, but the long hours and hard work of freeing prisoners of the mutant camps was tiring Blink, even as she sat in silence on a weedy hill before a camp in Morelia, watching the guards. Using her powers to an extreme had left her drained and unwilling to run anymore in the vast, barren deserts in Mexico that demand too much water and have less food. Somehow though, she needed to find more strength in moving on…and meeting up with Bobby and Kitty somewhere in Brazil, whenever they reached there.

After all, strength, endurance and running were all nothing new to Blink, who used to be called Clarice Ferguson and live a quiet life in Miami so long ago. But that time had come to an end these many years ago. She alone, along with Warpath (who had abandoned his birth name of James Proudstar when they left Kansas), had been assigned by Roger Mortimer to run amongst all of the camps they could, free whoever they can and send them in their directions, where new homes and assignments awaited them. While hundreds of them, mostly children, had escaped and been sent to various stations along the North American continent and sometimes beyond, it was harder and harder to transport them from the South American one (Blink can transport someone ninety-three million miles away at one shot at _most_, but not constantly). The energy needed to send them miles away was draining. Making sure no one who meant them harm was harder. Sending them to their deaths was the hardest.

It seemed that she and Warpath were getting closer and closer to being captured again though. The last camp they freed, when Bobby Drake and Kitty Pryde's truck had passed them by briefly, almost cost them their lives. Attention had been attracted the wrong way when the lights moved, people were sent to a safe house that had been invaded by the wrong people and four mutant children were killed just before Blink closed the purple hole to their supposed safety. Granted, she had to use another safe house and surprised many people there (not the least of which Peter Rasputin), but that was neither here nor there. She had a job to do and she had to work until she was dead to ensure its completion.

That was when Warpath decided to take a detour to the west for no reason though. Arriving in Morelia, southwest of where Bobby and Kitty had driven to, he and Blink hid amongst the shadows and watched the camp there for days before deciding to strike some nights later, when food was running short and their tempers worse to new heights. That night had finally come though and she was so tired, oh so tired. She had hardly slept in days, had been dodging too many robots that now tried using their powers against them and wished to God that Warpath would touch her again, to ensure that they were still more than friends…

But that time had passed. Warpath could not allow himself the luxury of love anymore. He cared too much about Blink to let her go, but he could not commit and could not afford to watch her die too. Not at a time like this, he could not, especially after the price he paid for protecting his loving family and seeing them all perish too.

Sitting with the dead weeds of yesteryear (and perhaps above some mutant bodies buried below them), Warpath kept his eyes closed, concentrating on the camp and surroundings before them. He ensured Blink that they were safe there, that the spot was a blind one to the guards that walked the wired camp, but that did not reassure Blink much. She hardly moved in their vigil, eying each prisoner as if a potential person to pick up and send away. However, that night when they were supposed to run in, Warpath's concentration was broken and he soon turned to Blink. It was almost sunset and his black hair shone with the final rays of light.

"We're going to see Sunspot soon," Warpath observed, although that surprised Blink, even if she did not show it. Sunspot grew up south of Mexico, in Brazil as far as she knew, and was familiar with the area, but she did not think that he was moving from his station in Seattle, Washington with Peter Rasputin.

"I thought he was up north near Canada?" Blink asked quietly, her purple eyes seeing one small child she knew to add to the list of mutants to get.

"He _was_," Warpath conceded. "However, I can hear it in the wind. He's coming."

"But why though? Why would he leave his job and come down here?"

"Sometimes, we all need a guide to get us through. Even I cannot always walk through a desert alone and not die for it."

"Come on, Warpath. You were _raised_ on a reservation in the southwestern deserts of the United States."

"That doesn't mean the sand still bothers me."

"You're a whiner." Blink took a fistful of sand and playfully threw it at him, watching it drift down his side without him even blinking an eyelash. "And that's what I think of it."

Warpath took the silliness in stride, but said nothing, which prompted Blink to say nothing more as well. He knew that Blink was right (except that part about him whining, which bothered him a little). However, he was more anxious about Sunspot. He was not sure yet whether or not he had been followed and by who. He was trying to ponder that, to submit all of his senses to the earth and air, but it was difficult. Blink was trying so hard to get his attention and ensure that their situation was clear. Soon though, it might not be, if Sunspot didn't hurry up, they just might be captured this time and all of his plans and detours would be for nothing.

Time passed, as it always did. Sunset turned to twilight and tha turned into full night and the lights in the camp were the only ones on. Warpath continued to wait in silence with Blink for Sunspot, but it did not take long after sunset to see him. As soon as roll call was handled and the prisoners sent to their cold cells, Sunspot came up quietly. Disturbing none of them, he sat next to Warpath on the left, watching the camp with him and Blink. Armed with nothing but the clothes on his pack, he appeared to be the perfect hiker, had dehydration not kicked in an hour before.

"Got some water?" he asked Warpath immediately. When Warpath handed him the canteen, Sunspot drank a little, slowly at first. "Hell, those Sentinels are sniffing through everything these days."

"What do you mean?" Blink sounded alarmed.

"Well," Sunspot began, "they've been sent up north to handle some issues there. Mutants keep migrating up there apparently. People are coming south too and they're not getting here yet. Trask has been interested in keeping us cooped up, though keeping the borders cleaned. Sentinels are now starting to replace people."

"And what about Bobby and Kitty?" Warpath asked, his eyes now on the camp in front of them.

"From what I heard through the grapevine, which isn't all that reliable, they're going to Brazil with another group," Sunspot replied. "That's where we should go too, but we can't make ourselves too conspicuous. Freeing camps here is drawing attention and our faces are being plastered everywhere."

"Not you, I'd hope," Warpath said, nodding in agreement.

"No," Sunspot reassured him. "My face is known in Canadian circles. I have paperwork to prove who I am. That makes me safer than most."

"And we are _what_?"

"My new prisoners, I would hope. Some former bar owner in New York made some paperwork for me to arrest you both and bring you to Brazil."

"Is this what Roger Mortimer wanted?"

"Meeting him there, yes, it's been messaged and managed somehow. In the manner in meeting and how it's presented, I don't think so. It just came in, after they left Camp XVI and are holding still at some hotel."

"So, let me get this straight," Blink broke in, listening to the conversation Warpath and Sunspot were having. "We were _just_ told by some spy mutant maniac that you needed to abandon your position, lead us to Brazil and present us as prisoners, all the while meeting with Kitty and Bobby while we're there and get their mission."

"That's the basics," Sunspot admitted, taking another gulp of water.

"It's a long shot, but it might work," Warpath admitted. "There are too many factors and too many things that can go wrong."

"I agree," Sunspot said. "But that's the plan. I can message Mortimer and say it's a go for now."

"For now," Blink echoed, her eyes soon on the camp in front of them. "But I am more interested in the camp I want to break into."

Sunspot flexed his arms, feeling the fire burn inside of him as the water refreshed him. "So, when are we going in?"

Warpath stood up, smiling. "_Now_. Pick a barracks, Blink. We're going in."

~00~

It had been some months since Peter Ellis' death by his hands, but the blue figure in the darkness was wary of the new situation developing outside of his isolation, _very_ wary. He watched as his plans turned to dust, but he had figured they would fail too. He hasn't been in his dormant state for years to see humanity succeed and watch the X-Men spoil every plan there. _No_, quite the contrary. It was easier to worm his way in, dominate the middleman and perhaps be on his way to show himself in this chaos. And perhaps now was the time.

For the blue man had many names and could blend into another environment at will, but that was always besides the point. He had been born a freak, left to die when his village by the Valley of Kings was run over by a tribe called the Sandstormers. But it was always survival of the fittest, he saw, and that tribe called him their own when they saw him alive. Their leader, Baal, dubbed him _En Sabah Nur_, or "The First One". He was the first mutant, the most powerful and longest living of them all. He had intelligence and strength, could endure the harshest places and was cunning enough to manipulate anyone to his will, much more so than the mutant called Magneto ever will.

He was named Apocalypse now…and he now had come to claim his Horsemen.

Stiff from much sitting, reading and shifting through the news, Apocalypse stood up, shaking his body left and right, flexing his muscles too. It had been a _long_ time since he got out of this room, but it had been worth it these past thirty plus years. Since his arrival, the Sentinel program rose. He hoped to send them against Xavier and his X-Men, but events continued to conspire against them, all of their own and without him seeing it. The Ellis family, William Stryker, Alkali Lake, the Dark Phoenix, Alcatraz…it all had come to destroy the institute that harbored mutants and were bent on keeping him dead. Now, when they all were together and separated in groups, Apocalypse had the chance to make his own move and destroy them more, to keep them from uniting and feeling equal. The time had come to show that _his_ species was the dominant one. He was now ready.

However, he was expecting one more guest to this party and would soon welcome him warmly before bashing his brains into the dark office walls. Apocalypse only had to wait a few more minutes before a bright light shone in his face, almost blinding him for a moment. A younger figure then appeared, perhaps in his thirties with light brown hair, blue eyes and a bold smile. He eyed Apocalypse carefully when he realized where he was, like he was studying an old friend in a familiar place, and his grin grew wider and cockier.

"What brings you _here_, Mr. Summers?" Apocalypse asked the young man, who was not surprised by his entry in late 2008 In New York City from whatever century he came from.

"Cable," the man corrected immediately. "It's been Cable for quite a while…_Apocalypse_."

"Quite right." Apocalypse searched for something in the room to distract Cable, but the young man got to him first. He immediately grabbed a heavy box and flung it at the blue mutant with his own hands, narrowly missing his head as the blue hand waved it away.

"Still playing games, aren't we?" Apocalypse asked Cable, the latter who backed away and was going to try a different method. What it was though, Apocalypse could not see.

"In a future where you rule from a dark room like this, nothing is so certain," Cable replied, using his own powers for the first time to pick up the box Apocalypse tossed aside and hit him from behind. The blue mutant fell forward, but prevented his fall propelling himself up back.

"And you always wanted peace, is that right?" Apocalypse asked him. "Kill me and find that peace, right? Is that what you think, Mr. Summers? Well, you know that peace will _never_ test or increase a mutants' strength. You need force in order to be strong."

Cable soon was dodging boxes that Apocalypse was throwing at him without effort, seeing the fight continue to back him into a corner. He soon was hiding behind a filing cabinet as he ran without shame, a plan forming in his mind. If he could just get the blue mutant a little closer, block his thoughts from the powerful one, he could save this timeline from more chaos…and perhaps bring Apocalypse into the future with him, where he could be destroyed. He had speed and intelligence from both his parents now dead in this timeline, he admitted, but his adversary had the strength and endurance, something he needed to use to his advantage.

"Come out, Mr. Summers, come out," Apocalypse was soon calling out, boxes smashing into the filing cabinet he knew Cable ran behind. "You know you can't win this time. You cannot stop me. This time, the Horsemen shall ride and I shall lead them onward."

A large shadow filled Cable's eyes, large and looming. Before Apocalypse could reach out to grab him, easy as it would have been, Cable pushed forward, the metal cabinet with him on the front, pushing Apocalypse down with him. With a flash on his hands, just before Apocalypse could recover, Cable used all of his powers to shove the blue mutant back into the future, where he belonged…for the time being. Cable did not follow just yet though, curious as to where the blue mutant decided to jump to and why. He sensed around a little, but only felt hatred. He pulled himself back and sighed, shaking his head.

"Sometimes, the ends justify the means, no matter the cost to your soul," Cable said softly, waving his hand to move on to the future himself.

And with that, Cable was gone too.

* * *

**As always, just a few more notes (other than I just threw in something different).**

**All information about each character came from the Marvel Database online, including biographic information and quotes (and how a very egotistical Apocalypse can be, seeing as how he was the original Magneto, superior complex and all). The little spats between Cable and Apocalypse are based on the comic books themselves. Cable, the son of Jean Grey and Scott Summers, was predicted by Mr. Sinister (sent by Apocalypse already to cause chaos) to be a powerful mutant that could destroy his master. He has the same abilities Jean Grey had, but with a time traveling twist. He was also sent to the future, due to a virus that he had from childhood, and was raised in a timeline where Apocalypse ruled, hence his knowledge of how to destroy the first mutant. Of course, that gets me hoping on the next movie too.**

**Warpath, Blink and Sunspot seemed to be friends in _Days of Future Past_, so I'm making it so in the story, for liberty's sake. However, in the "Twenty-Five Moments" segment, Blink was said to be assisting in the escape of prisoners. Warpath would have made the perfect companion anyway, Sunspot the perfect support to both.**


	20. Prayers

Something bothered Danielle all morning. She could not pinpoint what was wrong, but she was sure something was going to happen later that day. She got out of bed carefully, but was pushed back in by Mae immediately (annoying Danielle immensely), who went down quickly to get her breakfast. From her position, Danielle expanded her mind to the downstairs, hearing the usual complaints from the kids, Rogue and Devon talking about something animating and Logan hanging around the front door, watching the horizon with his arms crossed and his lips wanting a cigar. Mae soon came back up upstairs with some toast with no butter and some pieces of bacon, but Danielle reeled herself back in and almost lost her appetite when she saw it.

"Eat up," Mae urged, placing the plate on Danielle's lap as she sat up, but the older woman was always remaining amused by the antics of the younger. "You're going to need your strength."

"Yeah, what for?" Danielle asked miserably, almost immaturely. "I'm not going anywhere."

Mae sighed. "How many times do we have to go through this?" she asked Danielle, almost like a mother to a child. "Eat and you and the baby will grow stronger and you'll be better."

"Give me a good glass of red wine any day," Danielle muttered sarcastically, taking the plate into her hands and trying to nibble on the toast at least. "At least my red blood cell count will get higher than with toast and bacon."

"What was that?" Mae crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Danielle speedily reassured her. "It's just…I don't know…I feel that something will happen today."

"Oh, you say that many times."

"And when have I been wrong?"

"Few times, I'd admit, but drama plays a part and you _make_ it happen. But today seems too calm. We seem to be safe inside."

"But those Sentinels have been prowling around. I don't like it."

"Nobody does. Why do you think Logan has been guarding the door?" Mae sat down on the bed, next to Danielle, and took her hands in reassurance. "Come on, Danielle. We may not be in an ideal situation, but at least it's better than roaming the woods without direction and not knowing when we'll be caught."

"Ever the optimistic, aren't you?" Danielle asked her elderly sister-in-law. But then she saw the mistiness in Mae's eyes. "Anything the matter?"

"Nothing." Mae rubbed her eyes hastily. "Just missing Roger a little is all. Nothing to worry about."

"I understand." Danielle took an actual bite out of the toast and swallowed, but it felt like a rock in her throat and hardly went down. "Have you heard anything from him lately?"

"No," Mae replied unhappily. "I haven't heard anything. We've been isolated here, too much so, I'm afraid."

"If it makes you feel better, I've heard nothing from the Professor. It's like we've been cut off completely."

"You mean, it's like being stuck in a bedroom with my brother holding the key outside and practicing his speeches when you're trying to sleep."

Danielle winced. "Yeah, sort of like that."

"Even better," Mae added, trying to keep the mood light. "How about Peter trying to write a speech, but needing Dean Ferris over his shoulder to whisper the whole thing in his ear?"

"More like it." Danielle smiled, but the feeling wasn't going away. "Why don't you check on everyone downstairs again?"

"I think Logan has it covered and you need to be tied down," Mae said uncertainly, getting up and letting go of Danielle. "I'll check though and I'll be right back up. Don't be doing anything I said not."

Danielle shrugged her shoulders. "Do I look like the angel with the crooked halo to you?"

Mae stopped herself at the door as she was leaving and snickered. "As a matter of fact, yes, you do. And don't you deny that."

~00~

Logan had been watching from the doorway since dawn. Arms crossed, weapons hidden on him and claws ready to strike when necessary, he waited for trouble to come. And he sensed it, all right. The Sentinels, all of whom seemed pretty new and shiny to Logan, had been brazen pretty recently, coming closer and closer to the cabin these days. While colder weather has settled in and snow was starting to fall lately, the Sentinels still could not be stopped from their daily walks and watches, even if snow dribbled from their metal heads. One of them even eyed the upstairs loft the other day, Logan remembered, its white body hidden amongst the trees. Something was going on…and that something wasn't good.

Sometime around midmorning, Mae had come downstairs. While she herself had taken some breakfast and brought some upstairs to Danielle, she came to him again as the kids went upstairs to Danielle. Mae was somewhat annoyed and curious all at once, wondering what was going on. She stood next to Logan for some time, seeing the same things he did, and said not a word to him. Logan tried understanding why he had company, but it futile to even think about it, since the women always had schemes of their own. Keeping guard was usually a one-man job and didn't require someone else's two cents, Logan reasoned.

But Mae was stubborn and did not move, answering Logan's unvoiced questions like she heard them. "It seems like you and Danielle are on the same page."

Logan grunted something akin to assent, but he knew what Mae meant.

"She keeps insisting that something is wrong," Mae continued regardless, as if Logan didn't grunt something she could hardly understand (male grunting being something she could not translate yet). "I don't know what she means though. It doesn't seem like something is wrong."

"She's right, in a way," Logan conceded. "Sentinels have been pretty bold lately."

"But weren't we told that this place has a protection from those things?"

"I thought so too. One of them came by the cabin so close the other day I thought it was going to reach in and grab one of the kids. Ran back out when it saw me. But they're learning to use the elements and camouflage and I don't like it."

"Maybe they've upgraded since we last saw them?"

"It's possible. These are new, I agree. But someone would have known by now. A public announcement would have been made or something."

Mae nodded her head. "Now this is giving me the creeps."

Logan didn't reply, but looked back to the woods, feeling for a cigar in his flannel shirt pocket. It seemed quiet…_too_ quiet…and he wanted a better look. With Mae in the way though, he thought best to wait. Wait a few more minutes, hope to hell her annoying ass would retreat back upstairs like a good nurse and then he could run out for a scouting mission. Leave Rogue and Devon in charge of the kids and report back. Best of all, he could have that cigar without anyone bitching about needing him and why he was having it.

_Can't a man have some time alone and in peace?_

It was all Logan could ever ask for. He wouldn't trade the kids for anything, but hell, it was getting annoying that peace was hardly in sight. He was beginning to wonder how Danielle tolerated the three little monsters (soon to be four), battled humanity who hated mutants and kept her head in the process. It didn't help that she could live and die at will and never go back, but that's what made it fun for everyone, Logan supposed. It was always appealing for the humans to play Russian roulette with a mutant of _that_ power and take a chance, to see what kills her.

However, what was disturbing Logan more was the lack of sound in the last couple of minutes. The last he heard was Rogue and Devon sucking face in a corner, but that had been minutes ago. He remembered the other two boys heading upstairs to see Danielle when Mae came down, but that too was a while ago. When he concentrated a little more, he heard something break, like glass shattering, and someone screaming for help upstairs.

"Shit!" he yelled, making a run for the stairs and dropping the unlit cigar he desperately needed to smoke. "Stay there!" he then ordered Mae, making his way to the guest bedroom upstairs. Flinging open the door that was closed against him, he entered to a room full of screams, smoke and broken glass.

Logan coughed, healing from the smoke inhalation, and adjusted his eyes to the sight. When he did, he had no time to think. Two Sentinels stood outside the window, one of them holding Rogue and Devon and the other with Danielle, Michael and Riley. This time, he didn't have Colossus standing nearby to throw up him or Storm begging him to work as a team. This time, Logan only had his cunning and strength left to him and he was alone. He had little time, smaller odds to get all five back inside too, but he sure as hell was going to try.

The first Sentinel put Rogue and Devon in a cage in its abdomen area and started to walk away, appearing a little smug, Logan though (even if it seemed strange to see feelings in metallic things). Running to the window, Logan took a leap forward and managed to land on its back, his legs wrapped around the shoulders. Claws out, he sliced its head off just before the robot knew he was there, jumping off and rolling just as it fell to the ground. He then climbed on what was remaining body on the grass and used his claws again to open the cage and let Rogue and Devon out.

"Dad –" Devon began as he popped out, but Logan waved him away.

"Get in the house," Logan ordered as Rogue climbed out too. "No ifs, ands or buts. Out of here!"

Rogue then grabbed Devon's hand and made their way to the front door, where Mae was, knowing that when Logan was serious, he meant business. She opened the door for the two and closed it again, watching as the second Sentinel (one that finally enclosed its prisoners the same way the other had to Rogue and Devon) came up from behind Logan without warning and picked him up, throwing him against a tree. Logan felt his back crack and break under the pressure, but soon was healed as he hit the ground, recovering from that fall just as fast. He again adjusted his eyesight, trying to concentrate, but that Sentinel was faster than he expected.

_This had been too easy, dammit._

The robot picked Logan up again, much to the horror of the people now held in its abdomen cage, and tried throwing him against the cabin this time. But Logan sensed that the robot was going to attempt another shot and tried reaching for the wrist with his claws, but missing. He held onto the Sentinel instead, feeling the thing trying to shake him off without success. Logan then felt that he was being bashed against the side, his adamantium laced body now making dents into the robot itself. He then tried positioning himself towards Danielle, Michael and Riley, but the Sentinel was not giving up so easily. The other hand soon was grabbing Logan by the neck and trying to choke him, to break the adamantium spine and behead him with a simple pull of his fingers.

"No!" Danielle screamed from her cell. "No, no, _no_!" She got up, banging on the barrier that separated her from Logan, but she soon found no use for it and felt it was too desperate for the situation and would solve nothing. However, she was soon reaching to Logan telepathically, trying to link her mind to his, but received nothing more than frantic cries for help.

_Desperate times call for desperate measures._

Danielle's strength had been on and off since the journey to hell began. But she was not going to allow Logan the satisfaction of dying just yet. She closed her eyes, feeling her hands turn cold with a white and blue tinge to them, and mentally urged her children to keep away. She tried tapping into an inner source of power, something Jean had told her long ago to do when desperate times came to them, but could find nothing except a black hole, one that she fell so helplessly into and could never get out of. However, she soon found her footing, landing on a hard foundation with nothing more than her brother's presence nearby and his shrewd powers to boost hers, a combination that would soon prove to be her undoing.

The next thing Danielle knew, she felt herself almost inside the body of the Sentinel, running through the cables almost like an electric current, and stopping before what seemed to be the command center. The controls before her seemed complicated, but nothing was too hard for a hacker. She soon learned where the brain controls were, a simple on and off switch that would ensure the Sentinel's destruction. Just as the other side of her mind told her that Logan's time was near if she did nothing, Danielle reached over and forced the shutdown of the Sentinel. Satisfied with her work now done, she then worked her way back to her own body, one that was feeling the robot lose control and fall listlessly.

Danielle pulled Michael and Riley close to her as they ran towards, rolling to a corner to avoid more bodily injury to herself, the baby and them. Holding onto the boys tightly, she tried reaching Logan again, but could not find him somehow. She concentrated her effort on what was in front of her though, hoping that Logan made it out safely.

"Hang on," Danielle ordered, hoping to a God who never answered prayers to keep her family safe and ensure their survival.

_But prayers never get good answers and endings, do they?_


	21. Lessons Learned

Mae watched the action with Rogue and Devon from the doorway, all three unwilling to tear their eyes away from the action and feeling unable to do anything. As soon as the two were freed though, they watched the second Sentinel try to beat Logan many times, but failing to after the first shot disabled him. Rogue even cried out in dismay when Logan was hit again and again, but she almost ran to help when the robot then tried the beheading theory, to see if Logan could die that way. A headless mutant, and one that guided them thus far, was enough to make even Rogue rash. But Mae put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, the other holding Devon firmly by the shirt, and watched closer, seeing what Danielle was going to do.

"Wait," Mae cautioned, knowing that this wasn't going to end too well.

It only took a few minutes, but soon the Sentinel was on its knees. Almost appearing as if it was shut off, the robot sunk down and collapsed, fainted by the lack of power, and shook the ground as it fell, knocking trees down behind it and spreading new piles of snow everywhere.

Devon could not wait any longer. Sprinting as fast as he could when Mae's hold was weak, he ran to the defunct robot, clawing at the cage that held Danielle and his brothers. When he somehow calmed down and found the latch, he opened it, holding his hand out for those inside. There was too much space between Devon and everyone inside, so Danielle held up Michael first and then Riley. Once the two were out of the Sentinel, Devon retried his efforts to get Danielle out. He poked his head up, searching for something – _anything_ – to give him an extra arm. When he spotted a branch with about the right length, he jumped off and ran for it, returning to extend it down to Danielle.

When Danielle had climbed out, dizzy from her task, she and Devon looked around for Rogue and Logan. Michael and Riley had already run inside to Mae and were safe for the moment, but Logan and Rogue were soon a concern when they were not seen. Danielle closed her eyes, searching the area briefly, and pointed in an eastern direction.

"There!" Danielle yelled at Devon, opening her eyes. "Rogue went that way. Logan was thrown pretty far."

"You think Dad is there?" Devon asked her, eying her with some suspicion. "And what about those robot things? Think they'll come back?"

"No doubt about it," Danielle answered. "Now, go! Get them and come back."

Devon mockingly saluted Danielle. "Yes, Mom. Anything else?"

"Oh, just go!" Danielle waved Devon away, watching as he ran the distance into the woods before collapsing herself on the Sentinel. She held onto her aching head, feeling the buzz coming in from her ears onward, and waited a moment before she got up and went into the house, the dizzy spell far from gone.

Mae greeted her carefully, checking her critically before allowing her to join Michael and Riley. Danielle could not run, but she walked as quickly as she could to the living room, where the two sat hurdled together, trying to nervously play with the mother cat and her kittens. Danielle sat before them, saying not a word but breathing heavily, and pulled them both into her arms, feeling warmth generate from them, but it wasn't long before she was up in a defensive stance. She pulled her knives out, her anticipated smile almost turning a nightmarish grimace when she saw Vinnie Paul in front of her.

"Tut, tut, tut," Vinnie said, dangling a set of keys in front of him. "My, aren't we pretty easy to track?"

"What are you doing here?" Danielle immediately demanded, her head trying to clear from the previous encounter with her ex, from what seemed like so long ago.

"Doing my duty," Vinnie replied severely, like it was normal. "It seems like I am the only thinking of the survival of our kind."

Danielle reached for the knives again, about to aim with a flick of her wrists, but Vinnie stopped her with his hand in a commanding motion, halting her within seconds.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Vinnie warned, his other hand poised near Mae. "She can go first and never be released from her nightmares. Your children will be the last images you'll see when I'm through with her."

"You wouldn't dare," Danielle breathed our rashly, knowing that she was too weak to stop Vinnie and he saw that as well.

"I would, my darling." Vinnie came closer to Danielle, his lips near her ear, his hand moving closer to her breasts. "I also would be moving along, if I were you."

"So you can follow us again?" Danielle quickly pushed Vinnie away from her, feeling him to be more than a threat. "Why bother? You seem to be interested in us."

"No, just interested in the only woman I ever loved," Vinnie protested, feigning shock. "Can't you see that your cause is hopeless, Danielle? You won't win this time."

"What are you talking about?" It was best to play stupid, Danielle thought, and to keep Vinnie running in circles.

"Why did you split up in groups? What seems to be so intriguing up here and down in Mexico?"

"Beats me. The Professor and Magneto needed warmer weather and we like it cold."

"Bullshit!"

Danielle shrugged her shoulders. "You asked."

"Bitch, you will give me your mission or you will all die the long way."

It was then that Danielle was grateful for her children being there. Before she could lie any further and try to keep Vinnie from giving them their worst nightmares, Michael let out a scream that could have been heard from miles away. The vibration of it broke some glass objects in the cabin and soon brought Vinnie down to his knees, screaming for mercy as he clawed at his ears. When he did, a thin shadow crossed back and forth with a rope, wrapping Vinnie tightly and restraining him. Mae soon was up and kicked Danielle's ex to his side, helping Riley the shadow tie him at the feet.

Michael soon was done screaming, getting up to see his handiwork. "Wow! That went better than I thought."

"Yeah!" Riley soon changed back to his normal self, blowing out some air. "That was cool."

"I would say so too, boys, but getting this piece of filth out of here is better." Mae kicked Vinnie one more time, for good measure, before taking a bandana from a nearby counter and gagging him. "As soon as Rogue, Devon and Logan get back, we can figure out what to do with Vinnie Paul."

Danielle looked down at her ex, using her powers to render him unconscious, although the fight he put up was tough. When he was, his peaceful form telling her that they were safe for the time being, she thought. Vinnie tracked them down, _knew_ that they were here. The Sentinels were here on the same day he was and within minutes of each other, but that could have been pure coincidence. However, it wasn't really a chance encounter, Danielle reasoned. No, she was sure that, with the politics going on in Department H, Parker being missing for days and his messages that frantically told them to keep away and Vinnie suddenly appearing, there was a link. The Sentinels just seemed to be an icing on the cake, as far as she was considered.

_No_, it was best to keep Vinnie tied up and ready for Logan when he came back. The master of all sarcastic interrogation might have a better chance at getting what he needed out of Vinnie. After Logan heard all he needed to hear, Danielle was sure that death was in Vinnie's future, sooner rather than later. And Logan was never the merciful type.

"Yeah," Danielle agreed, smiling at Michael and Riley in thanks. "I'm sure Logan's policy would be giving him ten words to see if he likes 'em or not."

Mae had to laugh. "Really? I'm sure, being in the military many times, Logan can come up with something a little better than ten words and a punch in the face."

Riley soon was next to Danielle and tugged on her pants. "Momma, can we go upstairs now?"

Danielle looked at her youngest son, then to Michael and then Mae. Unspoken words crossed between her and her sister-in-law, silent ones that betrayed little of their thoughts. If the Sentinels were able to come in, were the kids safe in the loft alone? And would Logan be coming back to ensure their safety too?

Mae sighed, answering for Danielle. "Why don't we all stay down here?" she suggested, eying Vinnie Paul and hardly hiding her contempt. "I'm sure things will be settled when Logan gets back."

Michael soon was looking out a nearby window, watching the snow falling heavily. "Yeah, _when_ he comes back. What if he doesn't?"

~00~

_**November 10**_

_Luckily for us, Logan came back with Devon and Rogue late last night. Although out for hours and worrying us all to death, the three managed to scout the area and came back empty-handed. While seeing no more Sentinels in miles for now, Logan was very pessimistic, especially when he saw Vinnie on the floor in the living room, unconscious still. Michael and Riley were sleeping on the couch, but I was loathe to have them awaken, especially when the real excitement was about to begin._

_Kicking Vinnie once or twice just because he was so pissed off, Logan sat down in a chair. "What's _he_ doing here?" he asked me and Mae, wringing his hands in his lap. I had never seen Logan so nervous before._

"_I guess a part of the plot?" Mae suggested, shrugging her shoulders._

"_A supposed mastermind of all time?" I added, feeling sarcastic myself._

"_Enough." Logan waved his hand dismissively, with some tiredness behind it too. "Think we can bunk down here for a while?"_

"_Pretty sure," Mae replied. "If those…_things_…could get in upstairs, the downstairs might be better for us."_

"_Someone was trying to breach our security then." Logan looked at Vinnie on the floor._

"_Regardless," I said, "we need to plan something out now. Someone knows we're here. We've almost been captured again. How much is the price on our heads, truly?"_

"_A pretty hefty one, I'd say," Devon added, coming up from behind me. "Mom, I agree. We need to go."_

"_I want to go to," Rogue chimed in, looking at Devon with approving eyes._

"_Enough," Logan ordered again, much more sternly this time. "I'm sure there's some time. Rich will be back here soon, I hope. Once he's heard about the Sentinels, he'll come running back."_

"_And paint another target on us." Devon sounded bitter, like the vengefulness had yet to get out of him and he had some left inside for a certain special someone._

"_I know, I know." Logan sounded impatient. "Which is why it's essential for us to go. More Sentinels will spell out more trouble for us. Our aim is still Alberta and we spent too much time here anyway."_

"_I feel pretty rested," I volunteered, earning a stink eye from Mae. Logan smiled to see that, at least._

"_I'm sure," Logan replied. "I'm sure that everyone else is also. We run a higher risk here than when we're moving, but since we have no other safe house, we'll run into another problem pretty fast." Logan stared at me specifically._

"_Then we better wait for Parker to get back," Mae said. "We can't just leave here with no trace and two dead Sentinels at his door."_

_Rogue and Devon appeared nervous, but I was not (Logan was indifferent, but thinking, I saw, and that was rare for him). That made some sense. However, something else loomed in the back of my mind. It was Vinnie and more Sentinels, people at Department H…they all knew our mission, I figured. And there were out to destroy us. Staying here was going to cause us more trouble._

"_Two more days," Logan declared. "Dawn on the second day, we go. No waiting for anyone anymore. We can't afford it this time."_

_Everyone nodded. However, that left the issue of Parker. It was unsaid that we would leave no note for him, but someone needed to deal with him if and when he came back to this cabin. While I saw Logan as an ideal choice, my hands were itching for a fight. While the baby squirmed in my belly and kicked me to remind me of many things, I cared not if everyone thought me as very harmless and fragile, a mother preoccupied with her children. My mind still worked as an assassin in the night. The floor plan of the downstairs flashed in my mind, hiding places, traps and corners as well. It was too easy for me to slip right back into it._

_Besides, Parker needed a lesson. Logan can agree to that. Right?_

_I wasn't going to tell anyone yet though. I'll leave _that_ as a surprise, a plan that Logan could come to learn once he knew my patterns (if he bothered to watch and learn it, that is, but I was sure he would). One always worked alone, easier to tell no one a secret. It was always highly recommended to tell one other if it was necessary, but there was no second person. If so, it was a knife that silenced them, quick and simple._

_Logan then looked me at severely. "Are we clear on this?"_

_I nodded, folding my hands like an angel not yet fallen, answering for everyone. "Crystal clear."_

"_Good." Logan sat up a little straighter, but his eyes told something. When I connected with him, I felt the amusement in there, like he laughing inside about my antics. When I smiled at him, he grinned back, but it was knowingly._

_God, he knew. And he approved._

_That's all I needed. Parker gets his lesson if we see him in two days' time. That alone should be a consultation._


	22. Your Worst Nightmare

Kitty had been busy, Matthew saw from his position on a bench near their room, and that seemed pretty convenient for the task at hand until they started their journey again. While humming to herself in her room just hours before they left the hotel, she danced to music she alone had in her head, but that mattered not to Matthew. He had been watching Bobby more, hoping that the Iceman himself would be alone for a frank conversation, to snatch him and ask him what the hell was wrong with him. Granted, the other night Matthew felt that he egged Bobby on, but he did not expect him to ask Kitty to _marry_ him, especially after all the juicy gossip Matthew heard from the way back to Kansas and onward. He only wanted Bobby to show them all who was boss and that Kitty was his and his alone.

It was folly, as Mathew saw it, and he needed to stop it before it got out of hand.

Obviously, it was no time to marry a beautiful woman, he thought. Indeed, the past thirty plus years had been hard on the mutant communities and children born had been targets of ridicule and scorn. Xavier's school or the Brotherhood seemed to be a savior for most, but others still roamed the streets alone, now picked up and tossed into trucks and camps. Matthew had the unfortunate life of foster homes and loneliness without family or friends and managing tough women who walked past him in disgust. Hiding until he was picked up by Peter Ellis, Matthew soon saw the world as it was, worse than his family's deaths in 1989 as he watched. It was crumbling underneath him and no wedding was going to make it any better.

Soon, just before noon, Kitty left the room, saying a cheerful greeting to Matthew as she passed him. He waved back, adding some small talk before she sauntered towards the elevator with the unknown music still in her head. Surely, she had been making her own plans to radio back her superiors at the border, but that ring on her left hand kept her mind too busy to think about the practical. That was where Bobby might come in.

Immediately, Matthew snuck into the room as soon as Kitty was gone, standing by the door as Bobby continued to pack and ready himself for the next leg of their journey. He quietly shut it behind him, then moving back and standing next to his target. Although Bobby had been on Cloud Nine, he soon realized that he had company, jumping in fright when he saw Matthew next to him.

"What are you doing here?" Bobby stammered at Matthew, his hand on his throat to calm the heart beating into it. "I thought you were getting ready to pack the truck."

"I assure you, that won't be for another hour," Matthew replied calmly, grabbing Bobby by the collar and setting him aside on the bed. "I was hoping you'd shed a little light for me on what happened last night."

"Last…_night_?" Bobby repeated, unable to comprehend what Matthew was talking about.

"Oh, yes, _that_ night," Matthew said through clenched teeth. "Last night, when I told you about getting your girl, I did not mean to make our lives more complicated and adding fuel to a fire you and Miss Pryde started. Surely, you know that you're putting salt in old wounds?"

Bobby soon realized what Matthew was talking about. "So?" he asked petulantly, his attitude changed. "I love Kitty. And I'm ready to take the next step of my life with her."

"With what future?" Matthew asked. "There _is_ none, if you remember correctly. And there are more important things for you to worry about, like radioing your superiors at the border. It's scandal enough with the mutants being shipped and imprisoned, tagged and chained, without you getting more drama into the picture. Can't you remember the pathetic time you spent in there, the hours painstakingly planned in getting you out of there? Don't use the freedom you received in vain. Hold off your plans."

"I wasn't planning on _now_ to do anything," Bobby explained. "Jesus Christ."

"Yeah, he isn't going to help us now nor does he come around these parts anymore." Matthew paused. "He most certainly isn't going to help when Rogue and Colossus find out. I mean, you broke up with Rogue after she spent hell and high water to touch you and Colossus spent his life loving Kitty to distraction. Closed quarters meant that arguments might rise, but even together, you made life awkward as hell."

"I guess so." Matthew saw Bobby's face drop in defeat.

"But you're not backing out of it," Matthew said, his voice strong and authoritative. "You're a man of your word, I would assume, even if you broke a girl's heart while another pushed her off a cliff. Keep this engagement, but hold it off as much as you can, but keep it real and be as normal as you can. Keep it a secret too, or at least until we can meet in the middle and defeat these people with their policies, once and for all. Afterward, you can cause all the drama you damned well want and argue with Rogue and Colossus until you're blue in the face. But take this out of the mission. No marriage will make a political and personal situation any better."

Bobby said nothing, staring at Matthew for a moment. The man seemed older and wiser, for sure, but he was not sure if he can now trust him. He thought the man was a friend, a fellow mutant who was caught in the same boat as he was. But his words spoke true, even if Bobby's heart was in turmoil. The drama between him and Rogue was not a pretty one and the tide of unrest, especially amongst the mutants, worked against her and pushed them further apart. Bobby cared for Rogue still, that much he could say, but not enough for love anymore. He felt betrayed still, his feelings stretched further away from the girl who came in scared and lonely at Xavier's Mutant High. And nothing, _nothing_, could stop him from the love born between him and Kitty.

Anything Bobby can do to keep his flame alive was enough for him. Kitty was the only person he'd spent the rest of his life with. _That_ was final.

"When do you think we'll be able to meet back up with the team in Canada?" Bobby asked Matthew, unsure of what else to say.

"I would say another year, at the soonest," Matthew replied. "Realistically, traveling with children is slow-going and communication is scarce. I have yet to hear from Logan, Danielle, Mae Mortimer or even Rogue."

Bobby realized that Matthew was trying to hurt him with talking about Rogue, but still, his stomach did a flip-flop. If no word even came from Rogue, something was up and there was trouble.

"I would safely assume they found some shelter and are taking it easy," Matthew continued, ignoring Bobby's frightened looks. "My cousin is pregnant. From what I've gathered, she's been a tough cookie since I last saw her, but even weakness runs in the family. There's a route she can take, but even that is a last resort and she has too much to live for."

"What do you mean?

"What I mean is that our family has a curse. It's a mutant ability, but has gone as far back as I can trace, which is some centuries really. Our family can live and die at will and can sometimes heal at will. If there was nothing more to live for, I'm sure Danielle would just simply fade away and die. But with Logan in the picture now, it's going to be a long road and not likely that he'll allow them to give up."

"Are you serious?"

"As serious as I can be. You know Logan and his determination to keep his team alive. Beside, we're too tough to kill anyway, I can assure you of that."

Bobby quickly stole a glance at the clock behind him when he could think of nothing else to say. "Seems that your hour is almost up."

"Seems that way, doesn't it?" Matthew shook his head. "I'll be off then. Just do me a favor, will ya?"

Bobby was willing to do anything, especially since he felt ashamed of a sweet gesture to the one he loved the most. "Yes?"

"_Don't_ piss me off again," Matthew warned. "I can live and die at will and could hardly give two shits about someone trying to kill me, but _never_ give me a reason to hunt you down again. I am a dangerous animal when provoked, Iceman. Don't make me use my abilities against you."

"And what would that be?" Bobby felt brave, even if all he was underneath was a scared adult.

"They don't call me Thunderstrike for no reason," Matthew replied. "I strike like lightning and move on, faster than you can say a word. I am an assassin at heart, my dear friend, and much better than my cousin who everyone calls Bitch. I will rip your little heart out of your body if I need to, even if it meant killing you in front of your lover and for the betterment of this team. Understand?"

Bobby only nodded, his body now shaking. "I understand," he only said, his words seeming like nothing more than mere excuses now.

Matthew nodded, leaving as quickly as he came in. He had done what he needed to do. Now, what was next was talking with Kitty.

~00~

Omsk had seemed like another dot on the map, but still the train slowly moved onward to the east towards Tomsk, her final destination. Mystique had yet to get up from her seat, but her plans remained the same. Get to Tomsk, plan out who are the big people there and establish an impeccable identity. Protect her group, move them to safety slowly and get on with life as they moved onward to Japan. There was so much for the woman of many faces to do that she now could not determine where to start actually, especially after that news report that got her mind reeling.

Things had changed in the last few hours, since that report though, to be honest. People shifted nervously, as if walking on eggshells, and their eyes moved around suspiciously, like they knew someone to be a thief. Mystique copied their movements, hoping that nobody suspected her of anything, and soon was staring out the window again as the colorful scenery (or, as colorful as grey and white can be) zipped through her vision. She checked periodically to ensure that nobody was eying her, but all had been busy with everyone else. Life had moved on with them.

_Good._

It was enough to keep her calm, but never enough to ensure her safety to Tomsk. Soon, Mystique thought it best that she leave the train soon and catch another in the evening, but even that might cause someone to call the police on her. Instead, she carried on normally still, wishing that she could stretch her legs soon and leave the monotony of the train. It was annoying her as it was, with the translating and everything. A headache was a constant.

But that was soon to end, she saw. A man announced Novosibirsk and many turned to get off, but many police officers came onboard, most of them surrounding her. Mystique smiled when some stared at her openly and they acted somewhat chillingly in their greeting, like they knew something about her that she didn't. She soon realized that she was trapped, but had to remain cool about it. She waited patiently enough for the next stop at the edge of town, opting to take another form of transportation from Novosibirsk to Tomsk now, and stood up as soon it was announced that the final stop was here.

Mystique walked off of the train calmly enough, but her heart was beating through her chest. She had been caught, knew that she was being followed, and did not know how to proceed after her sudden change, especially for her charges. She tried dodging a few officers behind her in the crowds as she walked, but more seemed to turn up in the direction she went. She went to a window to purchase another ticket, but that too ended up being crowded with the police as she stood in line. She bought the ticket all right, but was soon walking in the route of her next train, unable to shake her predators off. It wasn't going to be easy.

"Raven Darkhölme?"

The name jolted Mystique, like the name was beckoning her to darker times, but she ignored that horrible pathway. She walked forward, boarding her car and finding her seat in the last one. She comforted herself with the fact that Tomsk was some hours away, but stretched her legs just as a police officer came by to sit next to her, smiling and offering his hand in a kind greeting. Mystique glared at it (as well as the officer) questionably, but took it nonetheless, gently shaking it. She needed to start somewhere, and making friends with enemies, as well as declaring her innocence, was probably a smart idea. But the need to hide was even greater, to change into someone else and run even greater. _That_ was survival to Mystique.

"Raven Darkhölme?" the officer asked her, a name that still haunted Mystique, but still gave no visible reaction.

"No," Mystique responded in Russian, still shaking the officer's hand and grinning nonetheless, her other hand trying to find something in her purse. "No, soon to be your worst nightmare."


	23. Dancing on a Knife's Edge

It didn't take too long for Parker to show up. Danielle had decided to wait up the next night before they left for good, hoping that her target wouldn't be smart enough to come home, but seeing that he wasn't up for the credit received. Indeed, Parker did return, but it was long after midnight and some hours before dawn. The pregnant woman sat silently in a chair in the living room as the others slept in the basement, watching the shadows carefully and sensing nothing more from Parker than fright and apprehension as he opened the door and came inside. _That_ Danielle wanted to use to her advantage, but it was enough to be the one dark figure, waiting to get a knife in his back.

Parker entered the house slowly, tiptoeing to ensure that he wasn't waking anyone up, but his mind was all over the place, wondering why there were defunct Sentinels were in his yard, if people were still alive and whether or not the time had come for him to leave this place. Danielle soon slipped from her position in the chair and moved with the shadows, ignoring the thoughts Parkers conveyed outwardly, and soon was next to him as he snuck into the kitchen. Just as Parker leaned onto the sink, nervously reaching for a cup for water nearby, Danielle grabbed him from behind, cornering the two of them near a cabinet, her back against the wall and Parker's against her pregnant belly. Quickly, a knife dug deep into Parker's neck, but Danielle was quite loathe to kill him yet. Logan might be displeased, but there was a chance that she might be able to get some answers from the fool.

"Do you like trying to kill mutants?" Danielle hissed. "Because if you do like seeing us hurt and wanting my family dead, I see a pretty knife in your future. I like it biting your neck about now."

"You have to believe me," Parker begged, his voice betraying how old he really felt and the tiredness deep in his bones. "I tried telling them that they needed to step up and fight back. But nobody listened and they believed me to still be dead. They thought my pass was a forgery, my identity a sham and the information I had without ground. The only thing they seemed interested in was where you were. It was the only card I had left."

"And you endangered us _why_?" Danielle asked, her hand steadying with each shaky breath she took. Even she had to feel the fear Parker was conveying.

"When I thought one of them seemed genuinely interested in helping us, I said names, but not locations," Parker revealed, something that made Danielle loosen her grip on the knife a little, but not enough to release fully (her mind was still bent on killing Parker). "However, just four days ago, he came up to me and asked if you were camped out at my place. I told them that I did not know. 'What does that matter?' he asked me. 'The Sentinels will find them anyway.' That made me want to come back, but I had to wait a while. I could do nothing without endangering you more."

Danielle did not need to read Parker's mind to know that he was telling the truth. She didn't have the name of the person who was seemingly interested in them, but that was of no consequence now. She'll find out later, when she was ready. The face was enough to remember.

"I did not share anything else," Parker promised. "I came back here as soon as I could."

Danielle released Parker and put her knife away in a hidden sleeve, turning him around to face her. "It means we're all in danger," she said. "You, as well as us, need to fly."

"Don't worry about an old man. They aren't." Parker waved his hand in dismissal. "I'm more worried about you and the children. But I have a vehicle heading west that can take you to where you need to be, which would get you out of sight and mind. I can't promise your safety, but I can promise that you will be in Alberta in a few days' time."

"Where to though, if not to where we need to be?" Danielle asked. "There's a Red Cross safety house there, but that's not what we came here for."

"No, it's not. However, there's someone in Department H that might be able to lend a hand, tame the Sentinels and give you the backup to guide you back home to the States."

"Do we have a name?"

"Jimmy will know her from a long time ago, I'm sure. But there are a lot of possibilities with this trip. From what I can gather, you are meeting in the middle of two continents with two groups, bent on showing that mutants are not a danger and to free those who pose none. You need all the support you can gather, but that is growing smaller by the day. Don't you think your cause is a lost one yet?"

"You wouldn't if you were giving us this help."

"Point taken. However, you don't know what else is planned for them mutants, other than the camps."

"What can be worse?" Danielle's heart gripped in her chest a little tighter. Words were like the wind, she figured, but sometimes rumors even had some foundation.

Parker sighed in a tired way, motioning Danielle to a seat outside the kitchen. Danielle obliged the request, but her fear did not go away still. Instead, she sat down in a chair, feeling another presence behind her as Parker turned the light on, knowing who had woken up and probably heard the action from above. Parker smiled and motioned the figure to another seat.

"What can be worse than camps, Rich?" Logan asked, sitting down as Parker did. "From what we've seen of them, they look like a scene out of Germany. They can't be worse than Japan during the war though."

"And there's more that people are taking as their cues from the former Nazi Germany," Parker replied, gulping as he did. "Japan, not yet, but I'm sure that's not too far behind, with the death marches they seemed to like and all. But there have been ghettos on the rise. While they're not like their past counterpart of World War II, they are pretty similar. Mutants they think are too dangerous and are prone to being rescued at the camps or mutants that were too conspicuous in their black holes, they keep crammed into a small neighborhood. There are more guards there, less privacy and more searches."

"Seems like more freedom to me," Logan argued. "Before the Jews were sent to the death camps, they were sent to the ghettos. They were then cleaned out or sent away. It's most the polar opposite."

"What makes them so sure that feeling safer in a camp is a more viable option?" Danielle wondered out loud.

"It isn't," Parker said. "They make it out to be a special privilege to be in a ghetto. And nobody gets out of there alive."

Danielle and Logan exchanged looks, but said nothing.

"I take it that the Sentinels are the guards there?" Danielle asked.

"Not sure yet," Parker replied. "But that's not a concern. Not yet anyway. Right now, I promised you a passage to Alberta. The only way you'll be heading to safety _is_ being with the Red Cross out west. They're the ones who are spiriting mutants out and the only ones that legally can. They have a truck coming out this way tomorrow night."

Again, Danielle and Logan exchanged looks.

"What?" Parker asked, annoying with the two having their own private conversations.

"We have a…umm…_hostage_ situation in the basement," Logan admitted. "Seems that this one was playing crony for someone else."

"Seems like a favor needed to be done," Parker replied, sighing again as he put his head into his hands. "Who is he?"

"Vinnie Paul," Danielle answered automatically. "He's…an ex on mine, to be precise. It appears that he was slighted and thought working against us was in the mutants' favor."

"I can't blame him," Parker pointed out. "There are always deals for mutants who double-cross another, especially for the price they give these days. But that's another story for another night. I'll deal with this…mutant…in my own way. I would assume he's unconscious right now?"

"Always," Logan confirmed.

"Keep it that way for now," Parker ordered. "I have plans for him."

Logan smiled, something Danielle rarely saw and always was wary of, especially in situations like this. Logan always had a reason to smile and dealing with Vinnie in a way that involved their safety was always, to him anyway, a good deal.

"I have no doubt about it," Logan only said, still smiling.

~00~

_**November 13**_

_It's been some hours, but we're all finally getting a move on. Hurdled together to keep warm, we're currently riding in a Red Cross truck going west, this one picking up more and more mutants to ensure their safety too. While I am sure that nobody would touch us, the strange looks we still get are around, no matter the location. The workers are molested by agitators, no vegetable has been spared in our direction and the cold has been horrible. But we are together and that is all that matters to me._

_Parker was nice enough to give us more winter clothing too, even thought the Red Cross was taking donations and giving them away to us anyway, the night's moon illuminating their work. The hat he put over my head, to cover the horrible M above my eyebrow, made me smile, but it was uneasy. It was a kind gesture, a grandfatherly act, that made me miss my family all the more, especially when he adjusted it just so on my forehead. I never knew most of my grandparents, and my mother's mother was killed when I was ten, but the closeness was almost enough to make me cry for a more familiar time._

_As the snow fell steadily and my tears dried before they came, Parker closed the truck up, counting our party to make sure we were all there. "Stay safe," he only said as he saw us all there, waving as the truck drove on, his figure smaller and smaller._

_The day since we've left has been nothing but normal and the other mutants nice and scared, to be honest. Meals are served in the truck, we stretch when it's safe and our breaks are quick. Names are recorded and for the first time, I've had to name myself Danielle Mitchell and give the same last name to all but Rogue, to protect myself and the children. One of the nurses has been conversing with Mae and it'll only be a matter of time before more and more and of them keep an eye out on me and confine me. Other mothers are trying to help me, like a village watching all children, but that made me more nervous. I try to socialize, but I am more worried and cannot gossip much._

_Even while Devon and Rogue kissed in one corner and Mae talked with more nurses, I watched Logan and ignored all but the children. He was at the truck's edge, watching behind us always, and waved away any children who bothered him, especially when he was smoking a stolen cigar from somewhere. I walked over to him a while ago, but he pushed me away too. Something was bothering him, but I have yet to pry. Even I have to respect that privacy, something as a telepath is hard to understand._

_Something is on Logan's mind though. I'll find out soon enough._


	24. A Feeling That Consumes

It had not taken long to find Kitty, but Matthew was annoyed that she was crafty enough to slip from his fingers for almost all day until seen in the truck when they stopped towards evening. By the end of the day, when the thirteenth of November seemed to be threatening more hot weather and worse drivers on this most unlucky day, Matthew managed to corner Kitty in the truck, but she slipped away to join Ororo outside when called. Smart enough (and possibly hearing things from Bobby), she had been driving with Roger Mortimer and his man and was just coming to the back to see Bobby. However, Matthew saw that the Iceman had run off, avoiding him like a plague, and had hardly bothered to protect the one person he cared about the most.

It was a quick break for them surely, and one that gave them respite from each other in closed quarters, but the moment had come. Kitty was standing under a lonely tree, its leaves hardly giving her any shade. Ororo was talking with her about something, but Matthew could hardly understand the words being said, the two of them were talking so fast. Kitty was waving her left hand, showing off the gold and diamond ring, so Matthew figured that she was showing off her engagement ring and getting her former teacher all excited for her. It would explain why they were acting like womanly fools.

But the way Kitty gestured was insecure, like there was still a long road to go and this was the beginning of a good, new life. She perhaps talked of her upcoming nuptials to Ororo like it was not final according to her nonverbal cues, like the rumors from the past still followed her and her happiness would be foiled at any time. Matthew was seeing a very anxious woman, one that still had another woman in the back her mind and one that used to date her fiancé.

Casually, Matthew walked over to them without showing that he saw them talk some time ago, smiling and greeting them both kindly. While Ororo seemed glad to see him, Kitty did not. Her obvious frown was something he almost smiled to see, but had the situation not been serious, he would have laughed at her. She appeared to be a petulant little girl, to be honest.

"Storm, you mind if I borrow Kitty for a few?" Matthew then asked politely, knowing that Ororo Munroe knew many things, but never his plans…so far. "Got a few things I want to go over with her."

Ororo smiled at them both, a warm gesture that even Matthew liked in her. "Sure thing. I'll be over by the truck. The Professor is figuring out where we can next get water."

Matthew grimaced. It was something they argued over, especially in lieu of many mouths and little supplies. Mexico had been a desert wasteland for the most part and water seemed to be a thing nobody liked to share down here (food being not far behind). The hotel they vacated gave them little to go by, but that was out of pity and with a little manipulating from Xavier himself after they received supplies for a night and for two people. But even he dared not push it further than their immediate needs.

"I'm sure we'll figure something out," Matthew replied confidently, ignoring Kitty's scared glances altogether and for now. "Water can be found underground. A few of us can always scout for a hole."

Ororo mulled over the suggestion for a second, but she appeared to have liked it. "I can talk it over with Roger. I'm sure he can organize something."

Matthew resisted the temptation to snort. Although resourceful and pretty nosy at times, Roger Mortimer was getting on everyone's nerves and his moods had been swinging, mostly between outright rude to obnoxious. Matthew was pretty sure he missed his wife, several miles to the north and taking care of his cousin Danielle, but he felt it no excuse to get everyone riled up. He also chalked it up to him not liking Magneto kicking around either (something Matthew heard the old Firebird mutter when he was up front earlier), which always got on everyone's nerves, especially since the Professor made Magneto a friend and ally.

"I'm sure he can as well," Matthew said, to smooth things over, in his mind anyway. "Roger can put his mind to something and draw blood from a stone."

"You seem to have more faith than I do." Ororo looked over Matthew's shoulder into the distance, if as seeing something he did not, and looked back at him with a wan smile.

Matthew was surprised by the statement, but did not show it. He always thought Ororo Munroe to be very confident, caring and full of strength. Now, her words seem to show the opposite. Days spent at the camp did her in, but that did not destroy her, he observed, and that was good, compared to the children he's had to deal with (and those young adults acted like children, he reasoned). He thought that maybe today's situation was bothering her, but there was more. Her actions were showing it.

All Matthew felt was appropriate was putting a reassuring hand on Ororo's shoulder. "It's all we have," he said, weakly and lamely though. "Having some faith can get us through some dark times."

Ororo smiled again. "Wise words from the Professor?"

"You can call it that." Matthew shrugged his shoulders.

"You said you needed me?" Kitty interrupted the conversation casually, butting in almost rudely, but she grinned like it was an inside joke.

Matthew pulled his hand back. "Yeah, I do. A little patience was all that was needed."

Quickly, Ororo saw the situation and the tension behind it and made her exit without hesitation, waving farewell to both Matthew and Kitty and heading to the truck and joining Hank. When she was out of hearing, Matthew took Kitty by the arm and gently took her to the other side of the tree, unseen by the others. Her engagement ring even blinked a few times, still showing off at him, but he paid it no mind.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kitty then demanded, the two of them now able to be frank with each other. "Who do you think you are?"

"Someone who thinks you need a swift kick in the ass, sweetie," Matthew replied, getting go of Kitty sharply. "I am a mutant of many abilities and one you don't want to mess with right now. I already talked with your pretty boy fiancé. Congratulations on your engagement, happy that you're in love, blah, blah, blah, have a nice life. Except we're all not having a nice life…are we?"

"What are you talking about?" Kitty was now confused, even if Matthew's sentiments seemed sincere, albeit sarcastic.

"Your timing seems to suck," Matthew said blandly, although he felt strength behind his words. "You really want to hurt another team member more? You couldn't wait for the world drama to blow over before you continued yours?"

"What business is it to you?" Kitty challenged, annoyed. "This happened before you came along. It's a signed deal, as far as I see it. Bobby and I are now a couple and we're both pretty happy with each other."

"And a selfish one, I'd say. You make your relationship sound like a business venture, not a journey into life's greatest adventure. I just want to make sure this is not intentionally hurting someone and what you want."

"Of course it is! Why wouldn't I want to take the next step in my relationship with Bobby?"

"What typical woman wouldn't want to get married? Jesus, I understand that. But you seem a little more than excited that you're engaged. You seem to be like a victor."

"What do you mean?"

"You're acting like you've done it, but that it's far from over yet. You felt challenged and won the man you want. You felt a threat for a long time and now realized that it's gone. Even though the person is a long distance away, this was a step towards your security."

Rogue was a name that Matthew was trying to avoid, but nobody could do that without taking a side on the issue. Already, he was seeing things nobody else was with this engagement, especially with Rogue being in the middle of the drama and not around to defend herself, even after all this time. The group now had been split into three camps, whether they realized it or not. There were those who were happy, those who did not like it and those who had no opinion. And the last was soon becoming interested in the other two options and what was going to happen next. Even he Professor and Magneto had opinions of their own, Matthew was sure.

Kitty immediately grasped what Matthew was trying to tell her. "Rogue isn't a threat to me. She's my friend."

"Some _friend _you are." This time, Matthew snorted. "You let her down, Kitty. From what I've heard, you did _nothing_ to help her when she fell. She only wanted to be the woman who could touch her boyfriend and be normal. Now, she's back to being a mutant and alone, used only for purposes we all need her for. As far as I am concerned, my cousin felt pity for her and took her away so that she never had to deal with you and Bobby for a while."

"So, why lecture me on the past?" Kitty asked, her annoyance turning to anger.

"Because the past is becoming the future," Matthew pointed out. "You're allowing the drama from behind you come in front of you. I understand close quarters is a horrible and awkward thing. But now, you're away from all that and made the mistake of trying something in a world that hardly understands you anyway. You're adding hurt to more hurt and seeing a woman far away as a threat to your happiness. It's called jealousy, Kitty, and it's a feeling that will consume you if you're not careful. We are supposed to be allies in this cause, friends when we were enemies and close when we were apart. You're masking insecurity."

"I am not!" Kitty started walking away, but Matthew again caught her by the arm and twirled her around to face him.

"_Yes_, you are," Matthew said. "I have no doubt that you and Bobby will marry, have some sort of happy life and get on with it. Have some kids, for all I care. But right now, your happiness is marred by Rogue and the world. Solve one issue at a time. Once we feel a little safer and in a good place, talk to Rogue. Smooth it over with her. Explain that you're all great with each other, sorry about the hurt and be sincere. It's not an overnight thing, but putting a hand out, outside of work, might be a gesture Rogue will take to heart.

"Why, you ask me? Well, I've heard some rumors, Kitty, rumors that even made my ears turn red with shame. A young adult who wanted nothing more than to be human was humiliated beyond belief and the situation went out of control, especially with outside forces banging on the door. You just turned away from the situation and said and did nothing, but that always made it worse. Hey, I understand. Mutant High is always filled with more comedies and tragedies than a volume of Shakespeare. Been there, done that. I'm good and been done with it. _But_ it should have stayed there, considering what we now have to face and face alone.

"I feel your smugness, but I also see your fear too. We all have that. It's in our nature, especially as mutants. But we still need to stick together. Peter Rasputin is still a friend, waiting on the other side of the continent for you, as far as I know. If you put everything behind you with Rogue and actually showed a little empathy, things would be better and you gained another friend. Would you like Peter to see your new self and mourn what was and what should have been? Do you want Rogue to walk a woman alone still, even after that we've achieved?"

Kitty considered all that Matthew said, weighing it carefully in her mind. "No, I guess not."

"Good." Matthew moved to go back to the truck. "Think about it. When we're all ready, we can help you plan your wedding."

"Really?" Kitty relaxed and even smiled a little, but she was still war of Matthew. "You have any suggestions?"

"Yeah," Matthew replied, smiling himself and wanting to tease. "I got engaged to a few crazy women in my lifetime. I think, after listening to all of them babble on and on about weddings, I have a few ideas. I just won't share that now."


	25. Hide and Seek

It had been a long journey, a game of hide and seek to be precise, but Mystique was always up to the challenge. After attacking the many police officers that followed her to the train, she escaped the car, running headlong into the woods and vanishing without a trace. She tried reading the signs on the road and near the railroad as best as she could, but opting to stay away from people was the better way to go. Besides, nobody truly knew her destination and her mutant charges seemed to be safe for now. She was not worried about them or even herself.

Tomsk was just looming ahead as night approached. By the time Mystique walked out of the woods and into society, she was now an older man, with identity papers ready and a background nobody could question. She hailed a taxi upon her mysterious appearance, gave an address and was driven to a house on a corner, rented out by them and another family she did not know. As soon as she was dropped off though, Mystique immediately went into the house, carefully walking up the stairs to their rented portion, and knocked on the door. Footsteps were heard from nearby, but they were slow and timid. A few minutes later, the door opened slightly, but was stopped by a lock. A face peered out with sad, dark eyes, but they looked to Mystique warily.

"What do you want?" the female voice asked slowly, scared of what was behind the door.

"Peace," Mystique answered promptly, the code word to announce that she had arrived. Oddly enough, a word she heard from Xavier, but she wiped that memory clean away.

_I am done with your world, Charles…now and forever._

The locked was undone and the door opened a little more. "Come in," the shy mutant said as her hands tried their hardest not to cause an electric shock. She even moved aside so Mystique could enter.

Mystique came in, noting the dim surroundings, and changed back into her blue form when she saw that she was safe. The mutant watched from her position some feet away, but she could not comprehend what she was seeing. Mystique saw that too and studied the girl, for that was what she appeared to be. She had been shaved, so no hair was visible, but that was slowly growing back into dark and white patches. Her sack of a dress covered a thin frame deprived of food for a long time, but Mystique imagined her to be a vibrant person at one time, with an electrifying personality and power. She knew who this person was, but could not figure out how she came here.

"Jubilee," Mystique greeted, which caused the girl to jump in fright. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I was safe here," Jubilee replied, but very quietly. "I thought I wouldn't be judged here."

"What do you mean?" Mystique had no patience for people in pity. She just ran the last miles to Tomsk and was not able to handle someone who was just going to whine. "Where is everyone?"

"They're in bed. They asked that I stay here and let you in. They gave me the codes."

"Yet, they didn't tell me that you ran all the way from Salem Center to here."

"Actually, I didn't come from New York."

This surprised Mystique, who thought Xavier's students, after escapin their hellish holes, would have gone home if not assigned to do something. "What happened to you though? I would have thought they would have needed you…you know, somewhere else. I'm sure Roger Mortimer has units running almost two continents."

"I was captured at the school," Jubilee explained, motioning to Mystique that they sit at a nearby table. When they did, Jubilee shaking, the story was continued. "They sent me to that…that camp in Kansas. After the assassination of Senator Ellis, they saw that I was too dangerous and caused too much trouble. They thought that I had something to do with the escape that day, but I didn't know about it. After my…my disgraceful behavior, I didn't care. But this made me scared, more than being at the camp. They sent me to some facility. They tested mutants there, tortured and experimented on us."

Mystique hissed, remembering her own experiences years before. Nothing had changed, she saw, and it was continuing towards the future.

"I thought I was going to die," Jubilee admitted. "I thought they would kill me. Every morning, they would take me out of my cell and…do things. Terrible things. And one morning, I thought they were going to be merciful, but they locked me in a smaller cell. I couldn't move. I couldn't sit or stand or anything. It was very dark. The next thing I knew…I don't know. I knew that I was free."

"How?" Mystique was confused. "A facility like that couldn't have been freed that quickly."

"I heard that some mutant was brave enough to be captured and get us out," Jubilee said, reciting something stupid, almost out of a romance novel and sounding that wistful too. "He heard that his lover was trapped inside and planned it out so that she, as well as everyone else, could be freed."

"It sounds too convenient to me." Mystique rubbed her chin, thinking. "I'll look into it and get some names. Something like that will surely have paperwork linked to it."

Jubilee nodded, but said nothing more. Mystique looked at her again. She thought she saw some tiredness in the young adult's eyes, but it could have been just her. But there was one thing Mystique was sure of. This one could not stay long with her group. She had to move Jubilee along. If someone liked her enough to experiment and torture her away from a camp, there was something about her that would improve their machines of destruction. They liked her enough to keep her. While Mystique was willing to help, she also wasn't going to endanger her other group members either.

"For now, bunk here," Mystique continued, as if saying the obvious. "I might have a place for you east of here. Our goal is to reach Japan, where is the most lenient towards mutants, and hide in the rural areas undetected, like we are here. When you go out, keep your head down, wrap your head to cover the baldness and say nothing unless spoken to. Did you receive any new paperwork on the way here?"

Again, Jubilee nodded.

"Good." Mystique relaxed a little, stretching her legs and changing back into her male identity. "Use the identity and make sure it's your first skin. It will save your life later."

Jubilee said nothing, but Mystique saw that she was thinking about something. But what the woman of many faces did not know was the repentant woman inside of Jubilee. There were so many things she had yet to mend and running away from home was one that surely saved her life. What she left behind was unknown. What fences she wanted to fix might not be standing when she returned. However, Jubilee was determined to return to the United States, no matter the cost. She did not care about her life anymore. The humans showed her that no life was worth saving, especially a mutant's life. But there was one person that Jubilee was determined to talk to, to ensure that one mutant would at least give forgiveness when it was begged.

Rogue had to be alive, Jubilee reasoned. And she was bent on finding her and making sure she knew how sorry she really was.

~00~

The camp had been freed, but many miles still separated Sunspot, Blink and Warpath from the truck they needed to be on, to continue to Brazil. Speeding on foot by night and resting wide-eyed by day (because Blink was too weak to make the needed portals), they used the desert to their advantage and camouflaged when they thought they were being spotted. Now, as midnight approached and they saw the truck up ahead at a stopover, Blink and Sunspot had to wonder if it was safe to run in, with so many other truck and soldiers around. A fire was even started in the center, inviting everyone in that wasn't a mutant. However, it appeared that Warpath had it covered.

When Warpath spotted the two glancing at the camp-like place, a caravan of trucks making a circle of protection, he pushed himself between them and pointed to the truck in the center left. "That's where we need to be," he stated, feeling stupid that he said the obvious. "We're sneaking in about an hour from now, but it's been agreed we will be prisoners."

"So, we're basically going to be guarded, treated like trash and sent into one of the worst prisons on this continent?" Sunspot asked, incredulous.

"For show, I would assume." Blink studied the camp again. "I can make a path to the truck, easy. Having them explain how we got there will be another matter."

"And one Roger Mortimer can figure out when we're there," Warpath pointed out.

"True," Blink replied, "but that's just another lie for him. It's more paperwork."

"Again, it's his problem, not ours." Warpath crossed his arms stubbornly, which made Blink roll her eyes.

"_Anyway_," Sunspot interjected, "we need to get in there. You said another hour?"

Warpath nodded, motioning the other two to sit down in the dunes and watch the camp with him. The hour crept past them slowly, but when the second came, Warpath stood up to signal their entrance. Blink did the same and with a gesture of her hand, the truck they needed to catch up to was in front of them, but that sapped her strength. Roger Mortimer was keeping guard around the truck, but spotted them as soon as Warpath and Sunspot entered, Blink behind them to close the portal. Roger appeared visibly relieved, but that was soon replaced by a scowl.

"What took you three so damned long?" he asked the group instead. "You all were assigned to free camps and send them to the States and come back this way. You could have used your abilities."

"A few delays," Blink immediately replied, not wanting to remember the raided safe house. "Now, where do you need us?"

Roger did not show his surprise, but he felt it with Blink's bluntness. "Stick around, make some noise and we'll make a scene about catching you, to make the story seem plausible. Or we can make this quiet and I can supposedly catch you all out there in the sandbox of hell. Your choice, but make it a good one. I don't feel like standing out here all night and waiting for you to make up my mind."

Warpath nodded. "Out there would be easier, I think. If you catch us here, people would wonder how we got in and question you."

"The other way would do the same," Sunspot pointed out.

"But it wouldn't be so bad," Roger added. "Catching you out there would make someone ask fewer questions."

"Roger, who's there?" A lone voice called out, all of them realizing that it was Ororo's nearby.

"Later," Roger called back. He then turned back to the three, his tone quiet and more menacing. "Get out of here and head east maybe half a mile. I'll be along shortly. I'll just consider it a good thing people know that I snoop around a lot and keep information to myself."

Warpath smiled, nodding his head. "Exactly what I was thinking. How long should we wait for you?"

Roger blew out some air and looked at his watch on his wrist. "Give me half an hour, tops. I'll bring Bobby with me."

Blink had to snort. Bobby wasn't a strong person, in her opinion, and seemed pretty weak when they were at the camp in Kansas, especially when it came to confrontation. He was a link she wanted to break, but was forced to keep and hold up because people vouched for him. Granted, he made some pretty nifty pathways in ice and could battle like no tomorrow, but he still needed to learn a few things about fighting and life in general.

"We need someone to back Roger up," Warpath reminded Blink, even though she knew that he had the same opinion of Bobby as she did.

"Sure," Blink replied. "Half an hour and half a mile away. Anything else?"

"Yeah," Roger answered, trying to keep his own amusement at the drama is a minimum, "don't struggle. I don't want to have to kill ya."

Sunspot saluted sarcastically, seeing the purple portal now formed by Blink, who thought it better to get a good head start. He jumped in wordlessly, followed by Warpath and then Blink, the latter of which waved a weak farewell to Roger. They acknowledged the orders before leaving, Roger saw too, which made his life a little easier. Now, he just needed to find his backup.

Ororo soon came to where Roger was finally, her face concerned. "Did you see them?"

"Yeah, they came." Roger knew who Ororo was referring to. "I told them to get out of here and we'll capture them properly. Just get me Bobby and I'll be on my way."

"Right." Ororo then watched as Roger dashed off to the east in a sudden burst of energy, chasing a mirage, as far as she was concerned. She then turned away, intent on enacting on their new plan and the next step towards Brazil.


	26. Let It Go

_**November 15**_

_It's been a couple of days, but we're still on the truck and full to capacity. Workers have been trying to get more mutants on the truck and mutants begging to be taken away, but there is so much a vehicle suspension can take. At this point, there are six nurses (excluding Mae), one doctor, two drivers and almost thirty mutants on this truck, most of them children. The going has been slow though, but we've made more progress than if we walked the whole way. From the national park we had been stuck in, the progress landed us now in Manitoba. We're nearing the town of Pine Dock, which is some hours from the border with Minnesota._

_Today, I think I just have a few observations to make (other than I am more and more sure that I am carrying a boy)._

_Logan still has yet to move from his position at the back of the truck, save for breaks when he silently drinks some coffee or smokes a stolen cigar. At this point, the children defer to me and have left him alone, even when they need to ask something or need permission. He's growled at them too many times and he's even pushed his claws out at them, but has not harmed anyone. I'll be sure to talk with him tonight, after the kids are asleep._

_Mae is still conversing with the other nurses. While all systems are a go and they all have stopped bothering me, all of them have been chipping in and helping the others in need, Mae included. Although retired, I could see my sister-in-law in her prime. She is happy doing what she feels is right and is feeling like a pillar of the community once more. This time though, it is a mixed community of mutants, lost and lonely and now seeking her attention. I feel that Mae is now satisfied._

_Devon and Rogue seem to be more into each other than ever before. They have said nothing to me or Mae, give us apologetic looks when we say something and continue their lives. They do not watch the kids as much as they should, but I do not grudge them that. These days, happiness is happiness, I'd say, wherever you find it, but I still stick to my initial thinking. Once those two are done with each other, they will fall and fall pretty hard, but perhaps remain friends. It all remains to be seen still._

_Michael and Riley are constantly at each other's throats, to be honest, and I am leaning towards them acting more and more like true siblings. Although they have been close and didn't really bicker until now, the close quarters we've had and the dangers we've encounters have made them both irritable. While the other mothers have laughed it off and said it was normal, I am still worried about them. They don't play with each other anymore, have drawn sides and even fought wars over crossing into each other's territory. More often than not, the two start a snowball fight in the truck after a break is announced (gathering as much material and people as they can) and the other kids join in and take sides. All fun and games, but it's serious for Michael and Riley._

_It all reminds me of myself and Jay too often. Although my brother was ten years older than I was, it was still difficult not to fit in with him, feel rejection when he didn't want me in his life and emulate him in every way. He was the typical macho older brother, wanting to be cool, but falling too fast. He was darkness to my light and a ying to my yang, as the Professor would say. But we were linked unlike Michael and Riley and that makes all the difference. They did not feel the other's feelings, have to be helpless as they were tossed in and out of windows in a rage or even lost as they watched the other die._

_Granted, Michael and Riley could live and die at will and age as slowly as they can with control, but they do not accelerate as I did with appearances nor did they face a world that haunted them forever. I am not a perfect mother and have protected and exposed them all at once, but it was with the periods of my life when I felt the most vulnerable or the most scared. Now, they need to see the world for what it is worth and stand next to each other when it's needed. They'll hopefully learn that soon enough._

_The light is starting to fade. I cannot write much longer. But I am hoping to get to talk with Logan. True darkness is some hours away, not this winter-like atmosphere. Midnight is also the hour for lovers. Maybe I'll have better luck later?_

~00~

It was well past midnight, but Danielle did not mind staying up so late, especially lately. She was very fidgety, unable to rest too, and was feeling like she had more energy than she really had. For hours, she watched Logan stare at nothing behind them and was beginning to wonder if she could just reach out and see what he really was thinking. However, for the two days in the truck, she was thinking it too much a breach of privacy. She had to suffer in silence, waiting for him, but she felt that now was the same to suck it up and bother him.

The children were asleep, Rogue and Devon too. Mae already was tending to another child in need, leaving Danielle alone with Logan, even if it was a few minutes. She got up from her seat and walked over, sitting next to Logan. He did not notice her, but after a few minutes of silence, he sensed somebody was there and unleashed his claws in defense. Danielle managed to back away in time, but the look on his face when he turned to her was animalistic, unlike the Logan she had come to know and like the one in his memories. Slowly, Danielle moved back, but she stopped herself when Logan turned away, the face of the past gone.

_Something here is bothering him. What could it be?_

It took Danielle a while to think, but then she realized where they were. Some miles ago, they had passed what had been Alkali Lake, even though they took a route that looped around it. Even though Danielle could hardly think back to what happened on those days, from the mansion being invaded by Stryker and his men and the time Jean was dead, she still felt dread every time she thought about it. Even though she, Riley and Michael and had captured by Stryker and held until help came, she could not take away the images of Jean controlling the waters and the jet so that they could escape. Afterward, she could hardly push away a Jean she did not know, one that possessed powers that even she did not have. Passing through the area was maybe bringing Logan back in time, to things he didn't want to think about, and it was bringing out a part of him he always hid.

Gently, Danielle reached out to find out more this time, almost like Xavier had done so many years ago when she first met him, and the caress touched Logan lightly. He turned to her in a quick movement with his claws still out, almost like a wounded animal, and watched her carefully, like he was debating whether or not to trust her, but trust seemed to be winning. He then turned his head back to the road behind them, the claws back in his knuckles. Danielle pulled back, but then crawled back slowly, sitting beside Logan. She dared to put her head on his shoulder, but that startled him. She moved a little farther away to the left before he did anything, enough that even his claws could not reach her, and tried to physically touch him again, this time her fingers on his open hand. That calmed Logan, but it was not enough for him to talk.

Danielle began instead. "I understand this part of the drive is difficult," she said, using her thumb to rub Logan's now open palm. "I remember those days too. It was uncertain then. Nobody knew what was going to happen. But then again, Stryker was always one who hid his plans well, even from Leon. Indirectly, he caused a snowball effect that has us here in this truck. But then is not now. You are not an animal, Logan, and cannot be. You're a humanlike mutant, just like me and our family. Being here doesn't have to make you one. You have a family, you have _me_."

Logan seemed to have trusted Danielle enough to allow her to use her other hand to point to his heart and then hers. "Remember me," Danielle then said. "Remember _us_. You don't need to backpedal into the past to forget that. Even this place gives me the creeps."

Again, Logan said nothing. He looked at Danielle again, but his face seemed to transform slowly as she worked on him. It was then that Danielle realized how much of Logan's home seemed to have bothered him. He was born here, spend most of his life here, bled his wounds here…and yet, he was now reliving it. But further probing on Danielle's part, after more trust was certain, revealed not just that, but the uneasiness Logan felt underneath, his insecurities of the past masking it. He knew something else was behind them other than the Sentinels. It was easier for him to be detached than to worry about a family.

"You can tell me anything," Danielle continued, her tone remaining confident. "You know, you don't have to revert back to what you used to be. We are a team now, right?"

Logan still did not answer. Danielle sighed in despair and pulled away completely. She wanted to go away, perhaps thinking that this did not help Logan, but then decided to stay anyway, for her sake more than Logan's. She quickly glanced back at the children, seeing that they were safe and still sleeping, and then turned back and watched the scenery pass them. The truck wasn't moving too fast through the snow, so Danielle was able to see that they were passing through another sleepy town, one that would have harassed them in daylight, and were about to leave it in perhaps another mile or so. She sensed nothing, but then again, things could be going in and she can't reach far enough to determine it.

She thought many times about contacting the Professor, especially about Logan. Sick as she was, Danielle was determined to keep in touch, but that too had proved to be difficult. Besides, she knew that communication was a two-way street. It was possible that the Professor was busy with other things and had no time for chatting, even about updates and problems. He could be in trouble or trying to resolve an issue. He could even have reached their destination and unable to talk. It seemed that Danielle was all on her own.

A memory soon escaped her. Danielle could not help but remember a happier time, days and days in which she thought the world was at her feet and fighting injustice was just a small piece of her job description as part of the X-Men. She caught herself wanting to live back in simpler times, even writing away her feelings and acting like everyone loved her. But even back then, she recalled that things had been pretty scary. Her mother was always on the verge of suicide, especially after most of her family had been murdered. Her brother had seen much in the Middle East and came back home to find his wife dead and his son soon in state custody and taken away forever when he was killed.

One in particular caused bittersweet tears to come to Danielle's eyes, but she wiped them away immediately. She closed her eyes, almost driving herself back in time, but just seeing it in pictures was enough. She was maybe almost thirteen. Jay had been home for some weeks and had been hiding his room for the same amount of time. He had not come down to see people or to eat, but Danielle, being the younger sister that she was, had snuck peeks into his bedroom, wanting to see him. Usually, he was fiddling around with his revolver playing Russian Roulette (terrifying enough for Danielle to see), hiding things in the loose floorboards or even writing something on paper. When the snows had thawed and some uneasy warmth had settled in an early spring, Danielle finally found the courage to knock on the door. Jay had called out that she could come in and she entered, timidly at first, but soon she was in a run to his cot.

"What's wrong, little sister?" Jay had asked, his tone gentle as always.

Danielle was suddenly shy, unable to figure out what to say to the person who she thought she knew and came home a different man. Jay had a way of making her that way, but then again, he also had a way to get his information from her. They were linked of course and it was both a blessing and a curse to them, Danielle most of all. But when Danielle refused to elaborate on her reasons for knocking and could not speak, Jay easily slipped in and out of her mind and found his answer.

"Why are you worried about me?" Jay then asked, shaking his head sadly. "You don't need to."

"We haven't seen you in a while," Danielle replied uncertainly. "It's been three months since I've really seen you. Mom is worried."

Jay waved his hand in dismissal. "So? Mom can worry all she wants. She won't understand anyway."

Danielle tried playing the same game Jay had, to see what he meant, but her brother blocked her from his mind. She had yet to learn that skill, but she also could not figure out how to get past the locks of his mind either. However, as her face scrunched into something akin to a wrinkled prune as she felt frustration at her lack of skills, she saw something on the cot. It was a paper with some words on it. Jay noted that she saw it and was unafraid of showing her. He picked up the paper and handed it to her.

"What do you think?" he asked Danielle. "I…I don't know how else to explain what I'm feeling. I don't care about not being with the guys overseas. I get the hardship discharge. But Fiona…my wife, I don't know how I feel about losing her that way. She was so young and full of life."

Danielle didn't read the words yet. She looked at Jay. She could not imagine how he felt either. He was in Kuwait and heard word that his wife was killed in a car accident on Christmas Eve. While his son, Jackson, was safe and with Danielle and her mother at the time of the incident, it was still unimaginable to think that baby would never know his mother. Worse was identifying the body in a morgue before Jay came home, him missing the funeral by days, the time he never spent by her grave…there were so many things wrong. Fiona was young and twenty-one, with a trouble-free smile and always a kind word. She didn't care they were all mutants and she was a human. All she cared for was Jay.

But Fiona had to die. She had to leave them all behind.

Seconds ticked away in an awkward silence. Danielle said nothing more because she felt nothing else could be added, but read the bold words written instead.

_Love that once hung on the wall,  
Used to mean something,  
But now it means nothing.  
The echoes are gone in the hall  
But I still remember,  
The pain of December…_

_Oh, there isn't one thing  
Left you could say.  
I'm sorry it's too late._

_I'm breaking free from these memories  
Gotta let it go, just let it go…  
I've said goodbye, set it all on fire  
Gotta let it go, just let it go._

"I don't know how to end it," Jay admitted without shame. "I'm stuck."

Danielle realized that Jay was talking about a love that was now lost and how it had to be let go. She knew it to be referring to Fiona, but she did not want to tell Jay what she knew. She looked to her brother and nodded in understanding. She had been a writer too, but she never told anyone, not even Jay or her mother. But when something popped into her mind to finish what he started, she smiled. Jay saw that and raised an eyebrow, not bothering to read her mind this time to receive his answer.

"I think I know how," Danielle only said to him, grinning widely. "How about, 'You came back to find that it was gone'?"

And that was how a poem of love and lost became something close to renewal. But in that moment far into the future, on the cold truck heading west to Alberta, Danielle shook the reverie loose, images of that day pushed away. She then glanced at Logan next to her, a tear finally escaping from her eyes. She again wiped it away quickly, her lips locked onto the last words of the poem she and Jay had finished over fifteen years ago. She sang the last verse softly.

_I let it go and now I know__  
__A brand new life down this road.__  
__Where it's right, you always know,__  
__So this time, I won't let go__…_

Logan turned to Danielle with eyes that recognized her. The back of his hand touched her cheek gently, but that was all. His face transformed back into one that animal, but he trusted her. His mind would turn around, Danielle reasoned. Logan couldn't walk through his life alone, even if he thinks it would protect them better.

* * *

**Other than an unusually long chapter this time around, I would like to credit the song where it's due. Above lyrics are from the Avril Lavigne song, "Let Me Go". In addition, I would like to ask for some creative license once more. Alkali Lake, while not really told where it was geographically in the movies (because the lake name is used in both Canada and Oregon), was placed somewhere in the middle of Canada in my story. I would assume, if the movies linked it more towards Logan, it would be in Canada. To be precise, Alkali Lake would be in the British Columbia.**


	27. Updates

Blink, Sunspot and Warpath were finally official prisoners and theirs for the taking. While the paperwork had taken what seemed like forever and their truck stuck in the same campsite since their capture, Roger was growing impatient. Bobby and Kitty had been persistent in their radio contact, but tempers were still rife, Roger's most of all. He wanted to get going, wanted to reach Brazil before Bishop off and disappeared again and wanted to see his wife again in this lifetime. Already, he felt too much time had spent in Mexico.

It had been three days before they were allowed to leave their campsite in Tuxtia Gutièrrez. They were too near the border to Guatemala and having prisoners made all the difference, even though paperwork and orders can be passed in an instant these days. But that too was supposed to be a new headache. According to both Bobby and Kitty after their radio contact, all countries have guards at the borders and would love to make more trouble with mutant prisoners. Paperwork had to pass from hand to hand each time. And with those three supposed to be heading to Brazil, as they had wanted them to, it was going to be a fine line to walk. They had to be more careful, especially with contact with Bishop.

But he was glad to finally get out of Mexico and be at the border now, the country with the biggest headaches of all behind him. It had been a hellish and strange trip, but Roger was almost tempted to kiss the ground at the border in sheer happiness. Resisting that, as the driver, he instead drove up the guards that waved him over through to the gateway. He handed them all of the papers, from the States onward, and waited patiently for someone to look them over. All was luckily in order, but their truck had to be searched, as was customary. Roger acknowledged this, thinking them again fortunate that they left nothing to hide in the truck, and drove on through the gateway into the hot complex, listening to every silent direction the guards gave him. Blink, Sunspot and Warpath would have to come with him and another person from the truck, to ensure their cooperation, according to the rules. The others would have to make do with sitting in a cool breakroom alone.

Although older, Roger found Hank to be the strongest and the best companion for him and their prisoners. He also had the good sense to act a politician, but Roger found that beside the point. He wanted Hank to ensure that they were also covered and could smoothly talk them out of trouble when it was needed. He said a lot for what happened back with the camp commander in Mexico, who was a slick one, and that proved some worth. Hank wasn't available to assist much in that situation even with honeyed words, but Roger was sure Xavier had a hand in it for some reason.

Roger thought back to that incident carefully. It seemed that something was different, but he could not put his finger on it. All he recalled was the commander fighting with them about leaving and then changing his mind, which again he attributed to Xavier. They then went on their way and ended up in the hotel for a while, which gave way to another situation he wished never happened (namely, Bobby asking Kitty to marry him). But he felt like there was a ripple somewhere, that something had been tampered with, and there was nothing he could do to change it. It was all for the better, he reasoned.

But that was no matter now. Roger was soon parking the truck. First, the group in the back had to disembark, but Roger quickly shouted for Hank to stay behind. Then, the border guards took Blink, Warpath and Sunspot, waiting for Roger and Hank to follow them. Hank was confused of course, but he nonetheless kept pace with Roger as he jumped from the truck, locked it and walked towards a prison-like building on the left. The border guards were tough with the three, Roger had to admit, but they were treated better than they normally would. Best of all, he and Hank were to be alone with them until they were allowed to leave. There were no cameras or other surveillance inside the building, as Roger and Hank were told by some group commander in short order, except when they were put in cells. And in this case, the guards only brought them to some side room and left them alone anyway.

Blink, Sunspot and Warpath were handcuffed, but collars were going to be fitted for them before they left for the other side of the border. It scared Roger to hurt any team player, but the three agreed to go through it and suffer the torture. However, there were some things that needed to be asked. He patiently waited until they entered the building and were escorted to a room at the far right, with a view of the whole compound. The guards left and Roger quickly checked the room and found their word was golden.

When Roger was sure they were alone, he stared at the three young adults severely. "Talk quickly. How many do we now have in protection?"

"I lost count after one hundred and twenty-nine children, seventy-three woman and sixty-one men," Blink admitted, shrugging her shoulders in indifference. "But someone has caught onto the system. One safe house was raided."

"What?" Hank was even startled to hear it. "I thought the system was secure."

"We thought so too," Warpath offered, almost appearing indifferent to the event. "It was up in Seattle, which means that the border spot might also be –"

"Phineas Teller," Roger muttered as an interruption. "I should have known."

"To be fair, we don't know that yet," Hank reminded Roger. "Teller has been honest with us so far, so I've heard. Peter Rasputin is also up there. He can take care of himself. His cover is safe and sound, from what you've said."

"Who knows if Teller pointed to Colossus and already had him tortured?" Roger asked, but his tone was quiet. Hank heard it, but ignored the inane possibility.

"I wouldn't think Teller is up to his old tricks though," Warpath pointed out. "He has proven to be on our side more than once and has been trustworthy now. What does he gain by starting to tear apart the system? If he did, I'm sure all the other safe houses would have been raided by now."

"True," Sunspot conceded. "Colossus would have messaged us something by now if he suspected something. He isn't one for messing around."

"An isolated incident maybe," Hank added, putting a reassuring hand on Roger's shoulder. "See, Firebird? There's nothing to be agitated about."

Roger muttered some more, concerning mostly politicians, backstabbers and something about Logan, but Hank could not be sure (although the bit about Logan he could agree with). Roger was always good about keeping his inner thoughts, as well as his improper comments, to himself. Something those whisperings of his were annoying though.

_Well, mostly Roger's been good._ Hank had to correct himself.

"Regardless," Blink interjected, "we still don't know why we're heading to Brazil. Magneto said Bishop was there and he had been forming a group."

"Supposedly bringing us into a group he created for the sole purpose of strength and to assist us," Roger said. "Magneto has said many things about Bishop. We rescued him some time ago with you, but the question of how he was captured again on purpose begs to be answered."

"People have done the same in order to infiltrate other circles," Hank reminded Roger. "You, as a spy, should know better."

"It is still a suspecting action," Roger retorted. "_That_ I've used."

Suddenly, Warpath motioned that everyone quiet down. Roger changed his angry face to one of general annoyance as heavy and multiple footsteps came their way. The door to the room opened and a guard from earlier poked his head inside. Hank made sure he himself was pleasant enough to counter Roger's constant exasperation in order to answer the guard. He even smiled, trying his hardest not to appear uncomfortable in his human form. It was bad enough he had to give up his blue, furry body for the human form.

"Everything is in order," the guard announced. "You all may now go."

The door then opened wider, revealing more guards. They took control of the three prisoners immediately, pushing them out before Hank and Roger had a chance to say something. Soon, they were alone in the room with each other, the echoing stomps of feet soon fading away from their hearing.

"You gonna stop reminding me of the rational?" Roger asked Hank, who offered the door to Roger first. "A spy needs to think of all possibilities and you just remind me how much of a pain in the ass you are."

"That's what makes you so paranoid," Hank replied, chuckling. "I just wonder how Mae has been able to deal with you for all these years."

Roger wanted to retort, but thought better of it. Politicians can use anything against you, he remembered. Damning the new career choice Hank chose some years ago, he went ahead and thought about his wife, far away in Canada, most likely. He was sure she was fine, possibly bossing Danielle around, but that was nothing new. He just hoped that everything was better in the north than here in the south. For, as Roger was thinking, things weren't so great within their group and division was soon going to be a problem.

~00~

Xavier had used all of his strength and powers not to use his wheelchair, but that had been difficult. It had all been part of the cover, he realized, but it was taxing, to be honest. He leaned on Magneto heavily until they reached the breakroom they were promised. Finding the nearest chair, he collapsed into it, relaxing as the others gathered around him and spoke in hushed tones. Xavier blocked them out, sure that he could keep his concentration elsewhere, and made sure that he appeared to be sleeping. It was the best cover for what he needed to do.

It had taken many miles and some searching, but it was not hard to find the person he needed to talk to. Xavier found the setting cold and the daytime sunshine very weak compared to where he was, but it was hope that kept this group going too. It was the last thing they had.

Of course, Danielle was surprised when Xavier tapped into her mind, almost like a knock on the door. Sitting in a corner of some truck by herself, she was watching her children play with the others and worried of other things, but backed away from the other mothers when she realized who was contacting her.

_Professor! Where are you? Is everything all right?_

Xavier wanted to chuckled, but remembered his cover. _I am making this as short as possible, Danielle. I just need an update._

Danielle scratched her head. _Well, so much has happened, I don't where to start. We go through to Canada with the usual problems, got to an unknown safe house and now have to leave it. The Sentinels are on the loose here._

Xavier was alarmed. _Has anyone been captured?_

_No. We're all safe and everything is as normal it can be, although two Sentinels have been disabled. Oddly enough though, Logan has been out of it._

_Well, that is normal when one returns to their homeland. One as old as Logan remembers much more than joy. He knows war and human suffering too._

_I know, Professor, but there's more. He's using that as a mask to his worries. He's pushing us away and acting like he doesn't know us. It's a form of protection._

_He'll get over it, Danielle. Do not worry. I have faith in Logan to do the right thing. He has not failed me yet._

_Yet being the key word here, Professor. You make it sound like he will._

_Something I don't doubt and I know you do too._

_But that is beside the point. How is it on your end?_

_There have been some interesting developments, but all are safe. We have picked up Blink, Sunspot and Warpath finally. We are soon to be out of Mexico, hopefully in the next few minutes. It has been tiresome to get through the country._

_And slow going, I am sure. There are many checkpoints and camps, I take it?_

Xavier almost laughed this time, so accurate Danielle was. _You can say that._

_But we both are still no closer. We all have enemies on both sides. _Danielle sounded worried, Xavier noted, but that was nothing new too.

_I agree, Danielle. But we have to use that to make friends. For now though, we must stay silent to avoid suspicion. I am sure you understand._

Danielle realized that the conversation was over. She edged more towards the people she was conversing with, smiling as a farewell to Xavier. He cut the link carefully and was soon appearing to wake up some minutes later. While hearing comments about old men and sleeping from the younger guards, he smiled to no one in particular. Magneto noticed it though and moved closer to his old friend.

"Any news?" Magneto asked quietly, aware that a million eyes and ears were on them.

"Just the same," Xavier replied in the same tone. "Some progress has been made, but very little has been accomplished. Have some patience, Erik. Something good will come of it."

Magneto sighed, hearing the call to go back to the truck from some border guard. He disagreed with Xavier of course, but that was nothing new too. He just had to get through the positivity of his friend and he'll be ok. For now though, it was time to help walk Xavier back to the truck and hope to God, if He was listening and there for them (and Magneto had no doubt that there was one up there, even if He wasn't there at Auschwitz), that nothing horrible happened to them. They had enough good luck for the most part. He hoped that it lasted.


	28. A Tall Order

For Peter Rasputin, it was another cold and damp night of working at the Washington/Canadian border. He looked at everyone's paperwork, pushed the known or suspected mutants to another guard and granted passage to those he could. Granted, the guard he handed the mutants over to was another way for them to escape the States but they did not know that until later…and neither did their boss, as far as they knew. Teller ensured their commanding officer to be as dumb as dishwater and that was the only consultation they needed indeed.

However, something seemed…_different_…in the air. Peter could almost smell it as he worked. He normally did not believe in premonitions or feelings, but that night made him uneasy. He did his job pretty well, rejecting more than half of the people who came through to his station (his counterpart, as always, leading them away to safety) and his commanding officer, hands behind his back, even complimented his work before his final break. But around two in the morning, when the flow of people seemed to slow down and another took his place, Peter sat down in the stall near the compound on the United States side, rubbing his tired eyes. The feeling was not going away, even as he rested. He looked up, seeing his fellow guard, Calvin Rankin, in the doorway. Formally known as Mimic, Rankin took his human name that no one knew of and hid underneath the anonymous figure that he strove to be.

Peter had to feel sorry for Calvin Rankin, in a way. He was still bent on revenge, to avenge his father's death in the abandoned cave all those years ago, but he was also a mutant who liked helping the common people, those who could never help themselves or never had connections. He had been at the camp in Kansas, although in solitary confinement because he was considered pretty powerful and can mimic others' powers, and was sent with Peter to Seattle after their release. He worked with Teller without a word, did not complain about much of their conditions and tried as hard as he could to not use his powers. That was a big temptation, even for Peter, but he thought Rankin was better.

"How many went immediately through to Canada?" Rankin asked Peter.

"Thirty-two," Peter replied automatically. "I think sixty of them went your way?"

Both Rankin and Peter knew what that meant. Rankin nodded, looking left and right to see if someone was nearby. Although not visibly seeing anyone, the two of them knew that they were always being listened to, no matter what, and needed to be careful. Roger Mortimer had created identities for them both and backgrounds that could not be questioned He also had a almost foolproof system where Rankin would put the mutants in a separate truck, but the routes were controlled by drivers who took everyone to a safe house, mostly over the border and into Alberta. It was becoming an overwhelming process, with so many mutants and their families, but the Red Cross was promising to expand. It was the best they could hope for indeed.

"I think we're done for the night though," Rankin observed. "There's to be a meeting with the commanding officer."

"What?" Peter stood up, towering over his counterpart. "Did he say what it was for?"

"No," Rankin replied, appearing a little worried too. "He just said it was between him and us two. Nothing more."

That made it worse, Peter felt. "When is this meeting, comrade?"

"I would assume in a few minutes." Rankin wrung his hands anxiously. "I'll make sure someone is watching the gate and we'll meet up with him."

Peter nodded. While the two were the only people amongst the guards that sorted the mutants and put them in safety, they had to do the best they could with what people they had. The other guards would put the suspected mutants in the trucks sending them to safe houses, but Peter and Rankin could not guarantee that they would kill a few on the way there. It was a horrible realization, but the two could not save them all.

Rankin then disappeared. With shaky legs, Peter got up to leave too, grabbing his coat and heading out into the early morning air, dripping with pine needles and mud. He spotted Rankin heading towards the commanding officer's building on the far right. It was small, Peter had to admit, but intimidating nonetheless. It was situated in a dark corner on the United States side of the wall, hidden behind a series of other buildings that housed other officers, cells for the most serious prisoners and even other offices for daytime workers. Peter ran headfirst into the shadows, soon right behind Rankin with his long stride, and hurried to their commanding officer. Rankin opened the door and the two went through the usual security pat down before they were finally allowed in to see him.

Peter only knew the name of his commanding officer to be Diels, but nothing more. Teller said he was almost similar to Colonel Klink from the old TV show _Hogan's Heroes_ (something that even Peter watched as a child) and would turn a blind eye to all activity and was too dumb to realize it anyway. However, Peter was not so sure now. Seeing those dark brown eyes at the desk chair, as deep as sinkholes, he was sensing that this officer knew that something was going on and was about to reprehend him and Rankin about it. It didn't seem so serious on the surface, but Peter knew better. He had seen those kinds of eyes before, hiding behind good intention and unleashing fury all at the same time.

Peter and Rankin knew that they weren't supposed to converse until asked to, so waited until Diels spoke. He took his time though, watching the two squirm under his unusually watchful eyes. He then folded his wrinkled hands, almost like in prayer Peter noted in disgust, and passed his glance between Peter and Rankin equally.

"I am sure you both know why I have called you tonight," Diels began uncertainly.

"Actually, Sir, I am not," Peter volunteered. "We have done our job well and did what we were told to."

"I did not know there was an issue before either, Sir," Rankin added, remembering the good words they received from Diels earlier that evening. "We are all together to remove the mutant threat."

"We do have a few problems though and they all evolve around you two…_mutants_," Diels said bluntly, unfolding his hands. "Peter Rasputin, Colossus, you have come into this country illegally, attended Xavier's school of mutant militants and were sent into a camp in Kansas, which was destroyed by terrorist mutants. Do you deny this?"

Peter said nothing about the accusation, his eyes now staring at a picture on the wall behind Diels. It depicted Napoleon on his horse (a most egotistical pose, Peter had to admit), but it was something to concentrate on without betraying himself. He tried with all of his might not to change into pure metal form, but felt his towering figure straight.

"I see," Diels said dully. He then turned to Rankin. "Calvin Rankin, Mimic, you loved to play with your father's scientific experiments, which results in your mutation. He tried with all of his might to make you normal again, but that resulted in a town's wrath and his death in a cave that he corralled in. You have been killing everyone that was involved in that most unfortunate accident, but have not been successful in making all those mutations you can mimic a permanent thing."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sir." Rankin's denial had been automatic. "We are not mutants. We have been faithful workers, humans who do not approve of the mutant cause."

"Then, tell me, where is Phineas Teller?" Diels banged his fists loudly on his desk, which sparked no reaction from either mutant. "He has been spotted here under the name of Jack Benson. He has trucks up here, stealing out of our suspected mutants away. He has a route that runs from here to another gate to Canada, where another truck awaits the people. Another runs to Montana and then to Canada."

"I am sure your men will be able to determine that," Rankin said, stuck on repeating words to save them. "I don't know anything about a mutant named Phineas Teller. I just know my job. We sent the mutants to a truck. We allow the others to go through the border with the proper paperwork. Everyone is tested, even humans with the X chromosome to pass on mutation."

"A likely cover story, Mimic," Diels countered. "It's the perfect cover for two mutants with nothing better to do than undermine the humans."

Peter had still stared at the portrait in front of him and said nothing. But he heard everything and felt he could do nothing except listen and plan accordingly. They were caught and the humans were on Teller's tail. There was no telling when they'll catch up to him, but he and Rankin were to be the first on the list to go. But they were not going down without a fight. That much Peter was certain was.

"And you distrust our allegiance why?" Rankin questioned rudely. "There's no cover-up and no conspiracy."

"Then, I think you will be willing to undergo the proper testing again," Diels said just as several guards entered behind the two. "These gentlemen can escort you to the proper facility."

"Not this time." Peter spoke for the first time in some minutes. "You won't be taking us anywhere and you won't be bothering us anymore either."

Diels did not know what to do or say, but his mouth was opened in an O-shaped grin. Peter had to admit that Teller was right about him and how stupid he can be. However, who told him about their plans was another story, considering how long it took to figure it out. There was a weak link somewhere and Peter was now determined to find out who it was. That would be later though, when he was able to take Rankin and get out of here.

But they were trapped with their odds ten to two and there was nothing they can do to deny their mutant roots. However, Peter can run through any bullets and Rankin and always take some of his powers and temporarily imitate them at least. It was their best escape route for the time being.

Without much time left, Peter turned his body to complete metal. Rankin understood the plan immediately and copied Peter, the two soon dodging men trying to catch them and Diels shouting orders behind them. Peter then ran through the other guards, tossing them to the side with ease, and smashed the office door into pieces. Rankin ran behind him, but was soon turning back to normal. Peter knew that his mutation never lasted long, but that was no matter. He grabbed Rankin's hand with his metal one and the two ran through the compound into the woods as quickly as they could. Rain soon was falling, in a drizzle at first but then larger and faster, and it followed them deep into the woods, slowing down their pursuers. Peter followed the pathway normally used by the trucks and then took a detour to the east, a path that he remembered Teller taking some months ago. Rankin did not question it, but ran.

At some length, when the men were far behind them and Peter was sure that nobody was following them for now, they stopped. Panting heavily as Peter changed back into his human form, the two leaned against a tree for support and stood still, waiting to see if they were being watched. Rankin motioned that all seemed well, but Peter was still uneasy. He looked around and noticed another pathway, well used. He did not know where to lead to, but he was determined to get as far away from the border as possible on foot. They needed to find Teller and assume new identities or even go into hiding.

Even so, the choices did not appeal to Peter. However, it was all he had in order to survive.

"So…so…this is it?" Rankin asked, confused and still gasping for air.

"I think so." Peter stood up straight and eyed the pathway again. "We have no food and water. We have to continue on."

"And possibly get caught and shot?" Rankin was outraged. "Our faces could be plastered in some town's walls."

Peter had no time for the past tales of woe. Rankin was reenacting what had been in his, but he did have a point. He just didn't want to find out the hard way if it was true or not. Most certainly, he didn't want to be someone's target practice either.

"We have to take that chance." Peter started for the trail. "Teller is our only hope, comrade. We find him, we get out of here."

"With you in this country illegally and me being wanted in the first place, I don't think we stand a chance." Rankin was pessimistic, but followed Peter anyway as he walked carefully, making sure there were no tracks, especially in the mud and rain.

"I think we do. There is always one thing that humans can hold onto, even when there is nothing left in the world. That, my comrade, is hope."

"_Hope_…isn't that a word not used in these parts?"

"From what I've heard, yes. But we keep it alive. Just be positive. We'll make it out."

"Alive, I would imagine."

Peter ignored Rankin's last comment and walked on. However, even with the Professor's words in his head, he still had some shred of doubt inside of him. Determination drove him though, in the same way he tried to keep Kitty and lost a losing battle before learning to withdraw. For her though, he would continue on into this wet forest and find Teller. They needed to guarantee the safety of not just themselves, but the mutants they now carried away from harm.

That was a tall order, thought the Russian. And it was a hard one to make successful.

* * *

**Mimic is sort of a mutant, but had been done by accident, as was indicated in this chapter. He did play with his scientist father's lab and one of the experiments exploded, leaving him a mutant that can temporarily take on others' powers and copy them. Of course, he was a pain in the rear for the X-Men in the comics, but soon was on their side as well. All thanks to the Marvel Database, of course. :)**


	29. Rising From the Ashes

It was dawn. While a warm bed in a cozy apartment seemed ideal at the moment, Phineas Teller knew that business was not yet over. Just over fifty mutants had come his way, each one he cursed under his breath for the enlarged danger they posed, and they still had not figured out where to put them yet. From what Teller had heard, one safe house had been closed down by government officials and more had been threatened when found. They were getting shorter on time, he knew, and it would be soon before he too was caught.

Under a canopy of trees, deep within the North Cascades National Park, Teller continued to count and continued to think. He figured some could go here and there, but that was becoming more and more difficult to decide, since there was so many this time. He knew that a few other mutants had freed camps south of the border in Mexico and that was crowding other safe houses. But with sixty plus more mutants, hiding them in plain site would pose a larger issue and one that would soon be noticed. It was becoming worse with the other mutant problems, the companies worst of all. While Trask has been pushing the president and Congress to act, the Mutant Affairs Department took a nosedive and was disbanded only yesterday. No reason was given, but rumors were spread that it was not needed anymore…because there was no need to handle the mutants alive anyway.

It was made sense of course. The federal Mutant Affairs Department was there to continue their mission of peace and prosperity between all kinds. They handled large-scale cases, put out memos and announcements concerning mutantkind and even defended the mutants from all kinds of prosecution. The last was becoming a smaller and smaller job, as far as Teller was concerned. It was a joke department to begin with anyway and its disbandment was a sign of things to come.

Teller thought that perhaps another department would take its place, but that had yet to be announced on the news anywhere. He figured it would be one that headed all the camps and whatever may come. _That_ would be more up to the government's speed. Since the last semi-sympathetic president, George McKenna, was kicked out of office via impeachment (mostly about the mutant issues, but there was some rumors of corruption too, Teller believing them to unfounded), the mutant population in America, as well as around the world, has deteriorated.

_After all, most of the world takes it cues, either from us or Britain._ Teller spat on the ground in disgust. _We're always number one in fuckin' people anyway._

Teller soon heard some footsteps behind him in the deeper part of the woods. He turned around, expecting some workers of his to ask what to do now, but soon was coming face-to-face with Peter Rasputin and his sidekick, Calvin Rankin. The two were tired, Teller saw, and had been running all night. Their uniforms were full of thorns, their faces smoothed over with mud and their hair slick with rainwater. Teller had to squint to check out Peter's six foot seven frame, but from what he saw already, it wasn't a pretty sight. Something had happened and it was bad.

"What happened?" Teller asked, sounding alarmed and feeling stupid for asking such a question.

"We got cornered," Rankin confirmed, trying to catch his breath. "We…we got called into the commanding officer's office and got chewed out on being mutants."

"We were going to be found out somehow," Peter pointed out, his breath coming in little gasps as he attempted to calm down. "We need to break this up and go. We can't stay here much longer."

"No, we can't," Teller conceded quickly. "But we have to make this quick. Doesn't help that you guys sent me a large population to process today."

"They need to get out of here though," Peter urged. "So do we. It's urgent."

"And we will, I promise." Teller was thinking. "Look, I'll tell the guys to get a move on and save the blankets and food for when we're safely over the border. They can stay in the trucks until we reach some Red Cross station past the border. Us? Well, we can just catch the food and blanket truck."

"What about Roger Mortimer?" Rankin asked. "He'd be wondering where we are."

"_I'm_ wondering where the hell Mortimer is," Teller corrected tartly. "The information I have is that he's past Mexico now and with no forwarding address. At this point, once he hears that we've broken camp, he'll figure it out from there where we are. For now, find a space in the truck and stay hidden. _Now_!"

Rankin and Peter didn't need to be told twice. The two spotted the truck that Teller was referring to and jumped aboard. From behind them, they heard Teller shouting orders at his men, pushing them to delay the festivities later and get the other mutants on the truck without further delay. Emergencies were handled on an individual basis, Peter saw from his position, but it was only a few and that was taken care of quickly. Within seconds, the station was broken up and the men were soon behind the wheel, yelling that everyone was inside and ready to go. Teller joined Peter and Rankin in the food and blanket truck and sat down on a crate, exhausted and defeated. Peter never saw Teller in such a state before. The former bar owner had always been upbeat and positive, albeit sarcastic. Now, it seemed like all was over for him.

"What are we doing now?" Rankin asked as the truck moved slowly and hit every bump on the way, but said it to nobody in particular. "Where are we heading to?"

Teller rubbed his tired eyes and looked at Rankin. "We're sitting in this truck until we reach a safe house," he explained slowly, like to an idiot. "We have a few in British Columbia, but not enough to make me happy and it's not enough to supply these mutants. We've been relying on the Red Cross too much because of this lack and they're overloaded as it is. However, I'm pretty sure we'll be joining some others we know soon enough."

"Who?" Rankin asked, but he saw that Teller was referring the statement more towards Peter. Peter said nothing though, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"I gained a list of mutants picked up this past week from the eastern side of Canada," Teller revealed in a mysterious voice. "Some of the names seem familiar…well, to me anyway. Peter, I believe you would know some of them too."

Peter's ears perked, but still said nothing more.

"The first would be Logan, who the Red Cross saw was also named Wolverine, according to his dogtags," Teller continued. "Another entry was signed Anna Marie –"

"Rogue," Peter finally interjected, his eyes now solely on Teller. He was suddenly filled with more hope.

"Right." Teller nodded. "There is also Devon Williamson-Mitchell, also named Element, and Mae Mortimer, also named Pixie. And then there's a family named Mitchell."

"I don't recognize that name," Peter admitted, although he knew the rest Teller had named. He also didn't know that Devon had taken on another last name.

"You wouldn't," Teller confirmed, "because it's a name associated with the past. Danielle Ellis, who was married to the late senator Leon Ellis, used to be Danielle "Ghost" Mitchell and the sister of the late great veteran Jayden "Phantom" Mitchell from years past. She registered her family under a guise of safety using her maiden name."

"What's that mean to us?" Rankin asked, confused.

"It means," Teller said, "that we have allies nearby. The more bodies we have, the bigger the fight. We have someone to cover our back."

"But from what I've heard, the widow of Ellis was a traitor to mutants," Rankin protested vigorously. "She led the killers to her family and almost slaughtered more."

Teller had to laugh, the rumors were that ridiculous and silly. "Jesus, man, do you _really_ believe that? I knew Danielle Mitchell, from the time she was a budding young adult trailing after her older brother. And let me tell you, she had spunk and courage. She still does. _Never_ let those silly mutant communities tell you otherwise. The actions of one may seem strange, but in truth, it was a stranger situation than normal."

"How does that work, old man?" Rankin asked.

"It works like this, punk." Teller stretched his legs from his seat and sighed. "Senator Ellis, for all of his faults, lusted after the wrong woman. Although he was against mutants, he loved Danielle with a passion I never saw in anyone before. Tired of being chased, he proposed to her as a way to keep the school she loved safe and the mutants from being prosecuted more. The plan failed and his children are scarred for life, but that is beside the point. The point is, the people we need to be with cover our backs. You have yet to realize the danger."

"What danger?" Peter asked, unsure of what Teller meant himself.

"We just lost a link," Teller explained, his voice strained. "This great northwestern unit Roger Mortimer set up was meant for helping those across the border so that they had a better chance in a country that was more tolerant. This broken link poses worse problems for those who are still functioning. Without us, there is one less place to send mutants. And it's difficult for the other side of the coin too. They are slowly getting the idea that we are getting around their rules and we are rebelling against what we think is wrong. If there is one place where there are mutants and they're suspicious enough, don't you think a bigger investigation will be put into place?"

Rankin and Peter both nodded.

"We need to contact Roger Mortimer as soon as we can," Teller announced, a conclusion that the other two came to as well. "Without letting him know that we've escaped, he'll send more people our way…and to their deaths."

~00~

Mystique was a very busy person, Jubilee had noticed. By day, she was a man who worked at the local lumberyard and talked Russian like a pro. By night, she was in her normal blue form, but only in private. She usually slept as her cover, to avoid any unwanted questions, and always used her identity as if she owned it for real. But Jubilee was not yet used to hers yet, refusing to even leave their portion of the house to even see the weak sunshine and play the student. She was only curious from the inside and information was her only currency, something she could use well, just as she did when she was at Xavier's school.

A few days after Mystique's late night arrival, Jubilee approached Mystique, but it was with more bravery than she ever felt in some time. While Mystique was in blue form, she was always on guard, especially when eating and with her back was to the door. Jubilee came from the far right to avoid a wild confrontation, from the room she shared with two others, and carefully sat down next to Mystique. The blue mutant said nothing and continued eating, but her golden eyes noticed Jubilee after five minutes.

"What?" she asked Jubilee, very deadpan in her manner towards the younger mutant.

"I wondering if you knew anything yet," Jubilee ventured, her voice as quiet as a church mouse.

"No names yet, but that of the facility," Mystique admitted calmly, putting her fork down. "It's owned by Trask and called Bolivar Lab IV. Aptly named and very obvious too, but nobody knew exactly what it was for and were told it was government property anyway. It's extremely secure and there's enough guards in there to make it look like Fort Knox on a Fourth of July holiday." Mystique snorted, stuffing another bite of food into her mouth.

"What made it more important?" Jubilee asked uncertainly.

"Mutants, that's what!" Mystique banged her fists onto the table as she put her fork down, rattling everything on it. "They picked up mutants they thought would be perfect in their experiments. They would torture them first, break their spirits and the like. When they were beyond reason, they would lead them blindly to a slaughter."

"How many are dead?" Jubilee had to know.

"Countless. I couldn't get any numbers. But you were lucky to be rescued by a mutant that had the chance to help."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, your little romance story was almost true. Danielle Ellis was sent to the facility, having been sold by the highest bidder who knew her. Luckily, her lover, Wolverine, was about to study the place, get captured and run."

Jubilee had to stop her hands from shaking. "Logan…_Logan_ was the one who came to save us?"

"Well, he meant to grab one, but everyone escaping was a better bargain, I'd say." Mystique started eating again and took a gulp of her drink. "But that's not the point. I'm still gathering information though and I'll give you more when I can. Anything else?"

Jubilee thought for a moment. "Happen to know where Rogue is?"

"Not yet," Mystique replied. "What's your interest? Whoever was liberated at the camp was split into groups."

"They were?" Jubilee was surprised. This was news to her and old news, it seemed.

"Yes." Mystique sounded irritated. "_Again_, I'll get the information when I can and form a better picture overseas. Now, get out of here. I want to finish my dinner in peace."

Jubilee immediately obeyed. She left the table and headed back to her room in silence, rubbing her face into the pillow when she jumped on the bed. So far, she was getting good news. She had managed to escape the United States, more people were alive than she realized and Rogue was still there for forgiveness. She only had to wait until Mystique gave her the word. But she was not listening to Mystique and going to Japan. Sure, Jubilee liked being safe, but being with those who mattered was more important. Rogue was a good person, Jubilee knew, and being with her in her time of need was the most important.

Folk music drifted from the closed windows, mist from a million mouths frosting the windows too. The drunks were out and church celebrations were rife (evening mass had just ended), but that was no matter to Jubilee. To her, redemption was her key unlike their heavenly salvation and the only one she'll ever need. Well, that and her hair. Her hair needed to grow back to what it used to be. Jubilee missed her black hair being so light and airy to style, spiked up and funky.

Jubilee had to smile, even if everything was so wrong. Her old personality was coming back, she knew, but she'll never be the carefree, gossip queen of Mutant High anymore. The title was no longer available and no longer applicable, but still a part of her. However, she was now another body in for the fight, the fight for freedom and equality for everyone.


	30. Oh, Snowy Night

_**November 18**_

_We've just reached Alberta an hour ago, but we are in the middle of nowhere still (well, to me anyway), no town named yet. It has been slow going, as always. The snow has been falling, in some areas by the foot, and the truck has been stuck a few times. But the men left to us, Logan included, and some of the kids are a great help, especially last night. Devon, Michael and Riley even join in on pushing the truck when it was stuck, last night being when they were in their prime and having the most fun in months. Rogue stared at Devon with her eyes glued on his body and Mae laughed at the antics, especially with the crass comments the men made._

_Eventually, it got late and too dark. The wheels could not move, so we camped right there in the middle of the road, hoping for sunshine and no other trouble. Soon enough though, a snowball fight started. I didn't see who started it, but I saw the white dust sprinkle the air and go everywhere. Laughter was heard, even from the adults, and soon most people left on the truck joined in._

_I stayed in my seat, egging Rogue and Mae to run out and play too. They did leave at one point, confident that leaving me alone was all right, and joined in on the fun. Rogue took Devon's side, but it was at a cost. Michael had managed to roll a large snowball in his arms and dumped it down her coat in the back. Rogue feigned anger an surprise and chased Michael around the truck in circles, Riley soon joining with Rogue in chasing Michael. Afterward, Devon jumped right in too and caught Michael in his arms, swinging him in circles and tossing him in a snow bank. Riley, Rogue and Devon laughed, Michael joining in too, and it all began again._

_I had to laugh as well. My children were smiling for once and I could not help but be happy about it._

_Soon though, I had a visitor. Work done, Logan jumped back up on the truck and joined me, confident that we'd be alone. He had a cup of coffee in his hands, which he handed to me. The gesture surprised me, all things considering, but he still said nothing to me. Ever since I tried talking to him a few nights ago, he's still trusting of me, eyes the kids when they play or fight and is as silent as a grave. The animal in him started to fade away, but survival was still on his mind, almost like a soldier. Hell, to be honest, I'd rather deal with the military man than the animal. It's easier that way._

_The snowball fight continued before us. We had a few precious moments to ourselves. It was a good gift._

_But without hesitation, Logan finally spoke. "You gonna sing me that song again?"_

_I turned to Logan in surprise, but the question merited some anger. "No. Hell no. Why?!"_

_Logan shrugged his shoulders. "I liked it."_

"_Is that all you can say, after all this time?" I sipped the coffee and almost spat it out, it was so bitter. My stomach churned. "You want me to sing you a song?"_

"_Well, you seemed so sweet the other night."_

"_Oh, Logan." I sighed against his light sarcasm, leaning and resting my head on his shoulder._

"_You want to talk about it?" Logan asked me, curling his arm around me with hesitation._

"_I should ask you the same thing," I replied tartly. "Leaving me on a thread and guessing like hat. I was worried. Yeah, I get the survival thing. But we're supposed to be a team, on the same page. What happened to that?"_

"_Things."_

"_I kinda figured. But those same things I felt too, remember? I was there."_

"_There was so much more to the story I never told you."_

"_Oh?" I was interested._

"_How does Professor Logan of the Art Department sound?"_

_I had to laugh again, but it hurt my belly. The baby kicked. "How did that happen?"_

"_Cover story when we were at Bobby Drake's parents' place. That wasn't a pretty sight. Cops were involved. I think his brother called on us."_

"_It usually isn't. It makes me glad my parents were mutants too."_

_Logan knew that I never talked about my parents much and thought about it for a moment, whatever he was thinking filtering into my mind. He didn't talk about his much either. It was too painful, much like my experiences, but he was still curious, even if he knew things. He was also sure that I didn't kill one of my biological parents and run off with my brother and some there neighborhood kid who was now long dead by his own hands. I didn't say anything about that. I wanted to kill my father many times, but he also eluded me and was a master mercenary. I wasn't ready to take that on yet._

"_So, tell me about your mother," Logan said casually, to start a new conversation and continue the one in his head. "You never showed me much of her in your memories."_

"_I don't like talking about her," I automatically replied dully._

"_She doesn't seem like a protecting type."_

_I knew that Logan was baiting me. "She was, in her own way."_

"_What did she do for a living?"_

"_She was a teacher at the school," I admitted. "Well, it was for a while, long before I was born. She made many friends. But her depression got in the way of everything and she quit, but visited the Professor and everyone often. She was just lucky my grandmother left her a lot of money and she had a retirement fund set up from years before."_

"_She's dead, I would assume from everything I've seen."_

_Even today, the truth still hurt, but I somehow figured that Logan knew the truth and was trying to get me to admit it. "Yes, she is. She's been dead since I was eighteen."_

"_What happened?"_

"_Same thing your mother did. She committed suicide."_

_I went to get up and run away, but Logan stopped me and held me in place. He knew that I was upset. He didn't mean to bring up things that bothered me, but that couldn't be helped. He was always curious and needed to know the real me and not the mysterious me that likes privacy and trusted few. However, like him, the subject of my parents was always something that made me upset. I never wanted to talk about my father, Chameleon, and how he almost killed me when I was three. It was a distant memory, one I never liked sharing with anyone (and only a few knew anyway), and it protected not just me, but my father. It was easier to say my mother was tired of his antics and blame her. But the real truth was in him and his own demons. That was never easy to admit._

_And my mother…what can I say about her? She was a pain in my heart that I could never explain. Jay was the only one who understood it, but he went through the same thing I did, but he had been dead for just as long as my mother. That was another pain though, one that would never leave me either._

"_Remember when I said I didn't want to ruin a good thing?" I asked Logan, another memory from when we first started exploring each other, back when the bomb was still a threat and my adultery a shameless thing. "It was a long time ago now."_

"_Sort of," Logan replied, his face now in my hat. He took it off to snuggle into my hair and trace the M above my eyebrow with his fingers. "Why?"_

"_Right now, it's a good thing, to sit back and watch this," I pointed out, seeing the snowball fight start to calm into good-natured conversation, coffee and smoking. "It's a moment I want to keep for when things get tougher. It's something I want to remember as part of the good and not the bad."_

"_Well, you mentioned parents."_

"_Yeah, I understand. I just wanted to express gratitude that I never had parents who hated me as a mutant."_

"_But I'm sure they loved you nonetheless, just like mine did."_

_It was sarcasm. Logan never talked anything good about his parents, but I knew that there was love and longing in there somewhere. I don't think he ever mentioned to me that his biological father was the groundskeeper either, but I found that out myself by accident when he first came to visit me with the Professor, so long ago it now seems. However, the sentiment was good and I didn't want to elaborate further._

"_So, you want to come out of the truck?" Logan then asked me as he put my hat back on. It was a tone that wished that I would say yes._

"_I don't know." I tested out my legs, stretching them dramatically. "Maybe. I'll need help climbing down though."_

"_No problem." Logan immediately stood up and picked me up with him, the recently untouched coffee cup flying out of my hands._

_I protested all the way (I found that I am not fond of being dragged and carried around), but it was smooth sailing getting out of the truck. The air was cold and crisp, the night so clear. I looked up as Logan walked, seeing it as the only direction I had. I was soon amazed by the clearness of the black ink skies and their heavily dotted constellations. I had never seen so many stars above my head in a long time. The moon wasn't out to accompany them, but it was still very beautiful nonetheless._

_Logan took me over to a series of trees behind the truck on the side of the road, some feet away from everyone. He sat me down on what appeared to be a seat made of snow, made especially for me. I did not peek into his mind to see if he planned this, but the way he smirked and took out a cigar to smoke made me think that he did. He went out for a reason. Something clicked back in his mind and he wanted to make it up to me for it._

_However, what was also above my head was something I had not seen in years, not since I was dating Vinnie Paul as a teenager. Although a month earlier than expected, someone had tied Christmas mistletoe over our heads. Logan noted it with amusement. All part of his evil scheme, I assumed._

"_Does this mean I get a kiss?" I asked him, flirtatious in my manners._

"_I don't know." Logan shrugged his shoulders, smoking quickly before putting the cigar out halfway through enjoying it, a dark smudge on his hand healing. "You tell me."_

_Logan kneeled before me, taking my hands into his. He then took my left hand, pulling the simple ring he made me off of my middle finger and placing it above my wedding band that Leon gave me in marriage. He hid my hands into his again, crushing them in his rough ones to keep them warm, and leaned over to kiss me amidst everyone else looking over at us and making comments and cat whistles. But that part I didn't care about._

_I returned the favor. It was long and sweet, but so worth it. It was also worth the time waiting and what made the night too special to forget._


	31. Fires Will Burn

They went through Guatemala without any issues and were almost at the border to Honduras, taking only three days with checkpoints and paperwork exchanges (as well as breaks and more rotating drivers). Ororo Munroe, former schoolmistress and part of the X-Men, sat at the back of the truck this time, unable to believe their luck this time. Compared to going though Mexico, they had gone straight through instead of wasting time stopping at camps for a rest and wasting time with camp commanders. Roger was not taking risks, she knew, and they would soon be out of time.

She knew that she wasn't supposed to be looking back with the dust kicking up, but she could not help it. Ever since leaving New York over a month ago, Ororo felt closer to home looking backward and not forward. She had been scared to look forward, even though she needed to always. She was supposed to be strong, a team member that always pulled her weight, but lately, she felt like a lump. She blindly followed orders and stayed in the truck for the most part, driving when Roger asked it of her. It had been all she was good at.

Trust had been a big factor too, but that was slowly eating away at them. It was difficult for Ororo to play nice to Magneto, of all people, but that was the deal, even if all others did not agree with it, like she did. Magneto made nice with the Professor, but the feelings of old always remained. Matthew had no grudge against anyone except the world and discriminated everyone equally. Bobby and Kitty always were taught that Magneto was a man where his so-called good intentions led to hell and had been skirting around Magneto's favorite issues since the trip began. Blink, Sunspot and Warpath knew him by reputation and worked with what they had, but their aim seemed to always be teamwork, which was good. Roger always had a beef with Magneto and made it clear from beginning, but had been clenching his teeth, trying his hardest to be nice.

And Hank…was it as difficult for him as it was for the Professor? Ororo did not know. Hank was as stoic as the days when he decided on becoming a politician. He used to be a scientist and a doctor, a man who voiced his opinions openly and would question anything that countered anything with logic. Now, he used that logic against people and was too diplomatic to care about feelings. Sometimes though, Ororo could hear a dry insult, but that was the best part of him.

And that was the least of Ororo's worries. There had been the old division that evolved around Bobby and Kitty, how to approach Bishop and his group and how to petition to the government that persecuting the mutants was wrong. From the way they were doing it, chaos already followed them and war might be in their wake. They were criminals in a world that deemed it so because they were not plainly human. And in the middle of all of it was a joy in love, but the drama that came with it was horrible and even too complex to comprehend.

It was all so complicated, Ororo reasoned. But there had to have been a solution somewhere.

The southern summer sun beat down unmercifully. As Ororo shaded her dark eyes, she noticed that Xavier came from the other end to sit by her as she turned around to hide from the harsh sun. Normally, he sat in his place and tried not to be conspicuous with his disability, but he saw Ororo and felt the need to talk to her about something. She could not imagine what, but thought it had something to do with his nap when they were last at the last border and getting checked out. She did not think it normal for Xavier to take a quick nap and talk alone to Magneto anyway.

"Storm," Xavier greeted, smiling.

"Professor." Ororo's lips felt stiff and dry from the heat as she talked. "How goes it?"

"I would assume you would know what conspired earlier." Xavier continued to smile, like they had a secret they were sharing all this time.

"You would assume rightly. However, I am lost on what transpired between you and your contact. Did you talk to Danielle?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, I did. She and her group are well, as far as I can tell, but have made little progress, just as we've had."

"Oh! Have they run across some issues? I hope it is nothing serious."

"Unlike us, they encountered some Sentinels. Nobody was captured or hurt, but they have been disabled. Apparently, they also have a friend unknown to us. Specific details were not very forthcoming, as you understand."

"Yes, I do." Ororo was quiet for a minute. "Winter must be tough up there. It must be worse than what we are facing."

"I am also sure that they have had the same hardships we've had, Storm, no doubt about it. But I am also feeling that there is something else following them."

"More than Sentinels?"

"Yes. The Sentinels are more rampant in the north than in here. Brute force initiates fear here. The cold up there hides the fears. It is underneath the snow, waiting to spring out on them."

Ororo felt a shiver go down her back, but tried ignoring it. The words Xavier was saying had some meaning to it, like there really was a monster waiting to catch them. But monsters had a way of rearing their heads, looking in the other direction for other prey. They would be next. It was only a matter of time before the beady eyes were on them, the divided and mistrustful group.

"Who can they be though?" Ororo asked Xavier. "Who can be after them?"

"Do you remember when Danielle was captured some months ago?" Xavier appeared agitated by it, but hid his true feelings nonetheless.

"Yes. What does this have to do with them and us?"

"After some careful researching from Logan, he saw that they were most likely a research group from Trask. They took the most powerful mutants and tortured them. However, even though Logan destroyed their facility, I believe that they would rise again. Trask has been powerful enough to take the ashes and resurrect as a new being. Department H might not be as secure an ally as I thought."

"Do you mean to say that we might have sent Logan and Danielle and their family to their deaths?" Ororo asked, her hands instinctively going to her mouth on shock.

"It's possible," Xavier conceded. "However, those two have always found a way. With that in mind, we need to hope. That is the only thing we have left."

Ororo could not help but worry though. After living in a camp, it was easy to imagine the new dangers they faced everyday as outcasts. However, it is worse knowing that the people who they thought were helpful were now people who might be out to kill them. Although Ororo knew that both Logan and Danielle were uncanny in surviving and would make sure that nobody with them would fall, there was always a way for anyone to die. The way Xavier was naming it, it was a threat they did not know how to handle. It was one that they might not defeat.

Perhaps he was right though. The only thing they might have is hope. But even that was wearing too thin, Ororo thought. It was a strand that was breaking even now.

~00~

Jubilee had been brave. A few days after her conversation with Mystique, she went outside and decided to take a walk, obeying every command. She dressed like a local, covered her head and walked the streets of Tomsk quietly. It was too easy, she saw, since the weather was so cold (it had to have been about eleven degrees outside), but nervous stares always passed her. Even through the coffee shops, administrative buildings and churches, there always had been the glare of the faithful and subdued. But there was always the woods, hills of white and grey that graced the landscape in a way that made Jubilee stare in wonder as she ambled through the busy streets, all of them in search of something they could never find.

Snow settled in Jubilee's shoes, but she paid it no mind as she kicked through the unshoveled snow. She continued on her way, amazed by the city and its sights. The Soviet Union of old was still obvious, Jubilee thought. Signs in Russian, rusted and torn in corners, dotted the area every so often, especially the administrative buildings. She could read some of them, most asking for papers to enter, authorized personnel or even not to enter. But she passed them nonetheless, these vestiges of a history now gone, and nodded in greeting to those she saw nearby them. It was easy, she thought, even with their nervousness. It was easy to be normal again.

Although Jubilee felt her hands shake as she tried to control her powers under her gloves, she did not mind feeling like someone else, a human of no consequence. She was Liliya Mikhailovina Kozel, a girl who went to the university nearby and who lived alone with some roommates, her parents dead and her siblings living in Moscow. Liliya was a serious student, not a spunky one. She also left everyone alone, was polite and acted like a mouse. It was almost similar to what Jubilee felt when she arrived in Russia, but she soon was finding it harder to keep that cover as her first skin. In her mind, she was judging people, making their life stories in her mind and simply feeling like a general gossiper.

_Except there's nobody to talk to._ That's hurt her most though and that's what made it so lonely in cold, Siberian Russia.

Suddenly, as Jubilee walked down a side street to order from a restaurant, she was pulled into an alleyway. Jubilee struggled violently, her powers aching inside the gloves, but she used whatever defensive moves Peter Rasputin had taught her years before, but it was to no avail. She was caught in a tangle of pressure points when the struggle seemed to end, a single person that was pinning her to his will by those spots. He grabbed her by the wrists finally to allow the sting of the pressure point to weaken her, throwing her in the snow. Quickly, he was on top of her, sitting on her backside, and pulling Jubilee's light brown neck back.

_My God, I am dead. I should not have come out. I should have stayed home, where it was safe, where Mystique told me to stay._

Jubilee's thoughts raced, but she felt that her life was too important to her to lose. Her fight was not yet over.

Bucking like a frightened horse, Jubilee managed to get her assailant off of her back, standing right back up defense once more, her body aching from the shoving. However, when she got a good look at the attacker, it was Mystique, but in her disguise. She bore her golden eyes proudly for a second, but soon as staring at Jubilee proudly as a normal human. She flicked some snow off of her shoulders, smiling all the time as Jubilee squirmed in fright. This, above all, made Mystique happy, glad to know of how well she could protect herself and stay alive. The girl still had fear and that fear drove her to many things. It was life or death for Jubilee, the former most of all.

"What the hell do _you_ want?" Jubilee asked, which was very understandable, Mystique felt.

"Practice run," Mystique replied calmly, motioning to be quieter. "Now, do you want to hear more about where Rogue is or what?"

Jubilee cooled down from the attack, but was not rude enough to disregard information yet. "Yes, I do. How is she?"

"In Canada," Mystique replied, as if it was a bad thing. "She, along with Logan and whoever the hell he loves and those kids and Mae Mortimer, are trudging their way through the snow and heading northwest. From what I can determine, they are heading to Alberta. There is a safe house for mutants there, all in thanks to the Red Cross."

"Alive?" Jubilee was incredulous, too happy that her heart was going to burst.

"Not for long, if they aren't careful," Mystique warned. "The same lab you came from has the same people that are now after them. Trask people are very vicious predators, I hear. And they aren't happy that adamantium-clawed Logan wrecked their facility."

"Really?" Jubilee was impressed, mostly that the stories about Logan had been true and that he was a bad guy at heart.

"Yeah, and they're teaming up with people in Canada. Some of them like Logan and are interested in seeing in behind bars."

"_What_?"

"You heard me. I have no names or anything. My next errand will be more information. Now, I need you to do me a favor."

"Anything."

"Get back to the house and stay there. There's an anti-mutant rally tomorrow and students aren't allowed to attend. You might be spotted and used."

"What do you mean?" Jubilee was confused. She never heard of a mutant being used in a rally before.

"I mean that you will burn you," Mystique warned quietly, making sure no other ears heard outside the alleyway. "Do you think that the United States is the only country that burns mutants alive and takes pleasure in their pain? Great Britain has fallen and killed all known mutants within the islands. You think the world won't follow in glee and try to outdo the other?"

Jubilee just stood there, staring at Mystique. Snow started to fall again, but that was no matter to her. What mattered now was that her life was still in danger. No matter what she did, even if she played along as her cover, they would sniff her out as a mutant…and kill her too.


	32. Harsh Reality

They were finally in Lethbridge and moving north now, instead of west. Logan watched the progress from the back of the truck still. Smoking his last cigar (which he was not pleased with since nobody else had more cigars), he still watched everyone carefully. Still, he could not figure out what was going on. He smelled something wrong behind them, something jumping in and out of the snow to catch up. But so far, there had been nothing and nothing always meant no worries.

That was wrong though. His senses told him everything that his eyes could not. The snow flickered in ways that seemed unfamiliar. The wind blew scents that did not seem right. The tree branches swayed in unusual ways. The territory was always well known to Logan in his many travels of his life, but everything about it seemed amiss. It bothered him from the start, ever since they started moving westward. However, going north had made everything worse. They were all in danger.

But it never seemed that way, the way everyone was acting. Everyone on the truck, save for maybe a few Red Cross workers who were nurses (and maybe the doctor too), were mutants. Homeless, without worldly possessions and driven from what they knew, they used their unique skills to get them to their destination and to help each other, even if trust was a long road. All the women helped with the children and cooked, laughing on their breaks in circles of gossip and chatter. The men constantly looked for fuel stations or food, most of them offering cigarettes and cigars to those who had none (and Logan was constantly bumming cigars off of them all shamelessly). One night even, when the drivers managed to get a radio station in, the women started singing along, before static drove it out of them.

The night before, they even managed a small dance with the radio playing music softly. They stopped by a clearing, where the snow and wind wasn't so bad, and started a fire where the snow was the least shallow. The women cooked dinner and watched the children, but the men started instigating and getting everyone else excited for a cookout and dance in the Canadian autumn. Before Logan knew it, he and Danielle were pushed together with other couples in the center of the dancing. It was awkward for both of them, but Danielle smiled and made an excuse that she was tired before long. But it felt so sweet having her head on his shoulder while the music played over them.

_I want your love.  
Let's break the walls between us.__  
__Don't make it tough,  
I'll put away my pride.__  
__Enough's enough.  
I've suffered and I've seen the light._

Today was grey, dark and gloomy, the songs of the night before disappearing into the present. Logan studied the landscape around them intently, but was soon drawn to the noise behind him. He tried his best to ignore it, but it was tough. Women crying and children so sullen…he heard it for years. This time, it was one baby and too many women trying to calm it down as it coughed and cried weakly. Logan knew that that one was sick and going to die, but he kept his mouth shut. It was never good to voice an opinion of hopelessness, especially to a group that already lost everything except each other and their lives.

_And to women…I'll be in for it later._

It took an hour, but soon the baby was dead. Logan heard the mother wailing louder with the realization and the others trying to comfort her and the other children she had, but the crying was enough to make him cringe. It wasn't that it was annoying. It reminded him too much of his own mother and the conversation he had with Danielle a few days ago. Dimly, he recalled that he had an older brother, named John (who was older and named after the man told was his father). He died when Logan was very young, at a time when he could hardly remember, and his mother started losing what was left of her mind, howling like the woman behind him was. She didn't even want to leave the room John was in, begging to keep the body in the bed.

It was a horrible night, stormy and windy, but balmy for a Canadian summer night, Logan recalled. The screaming though…the screaming was enough to frighten him to bed and cry, but never for his brother. It was even bad enough that the girl some acres away, Rose O'Hara (the same girl who escaped with him and Victor), heard the commotion and had to get the priest and some men to carry the body away. But then, in the eighteen hundreds, there wasn't much to be done anyway. They all wanted his mother committed, but his father wasn't going to hear of it. She lived life as she did (in grief), but it went too far that night some years later, when Logan saw his father killed…and he then killed the man who did the deed.

Logan already knew that, some years after he ran off with Victor, his mother committed suicide after being committed to an institution. By then, he was young enough to care, but tried not to let him get to him. Victor had told him to be so hard that _nothing_ could touch him. The concept stuck with him for years, but the childish tears came anyway when Victor wasn't looking. Logan had to make sure that Victor was sleeping, wiping them away when he could and smiling the next morning as breakfast was served to him and the others they were housed with.

By then though, they had to run anyway. He accidentally killed Rose in a fight against someone from the Howlett estate who came looking for him, reminding him of who he was and what he had done. Before, he had to make sure he, Victor and Rose were covered and their tracks were never found, that nobody would come back to tell the village they stayed at of their deeds. That fight, which showed that he and Victor were mutants, was what destroyed his cover. In the end, he killed his friend and found it one of the few times he never finished a bout. The man ran after the fight and so did he and Victor, before the villagers could kill them for being mutants.

Victor did not blame him though and that was what amazed Logan the most, even through the guilt of a teenager. "You did what you had to do, Jimmy," he had said when they stopped at an abandoned mine for the night. "You put up a good fight, but Rose was too soft. She didn't like seeing people hurt or dying. She did what she felt was right and you did what you felt was right. It was her fault that she decided to run in, not yours that you clawed her right in the heart."

Logan remembered nodding, trying his hardest to forget the incident. Rose was a softie, he recalled, and always ensured that nobody got hurt. That fight…that fight, he was supposed to give a deathblow to the man, but Rose jumped in the way to stop him. It was _his_ fault that she was dead, not hers. But he had accept Victor's words, those of an older brother trying to make him so hard that he could not feel anything and harsh enough that the world never bothered them. It went on for years, he knew, until events turned him to peace…and then oblivion.

Soon, Logan shook his head. He heard something to the south of the truck, a mile down the road. He looked past the wrongness and heard a deep rumbling past it, like a caravan of other vehicles. He suddenly felt the one he was on slow down and pull over to the side, possibly knowing the same thing he did. After hiding the truck out of sight, the drivers immediately jumped out of the front and came to the back, motioning to Logan and yelling for the others to be quiet and not move. While Logan only had to look back at the grieving mothers in the back (Mae trying to get the dead baby out of his mother's arms for a quick burial), he followed the directions and quietly went into the woods with the drivers.

The one who motioned at Logan waved him over. "What do you think?" he asked Logan. "Think we got some government cronies with military guns or what?"

Logan had to listen for a moment to understand. "No. No. I hear voices, most of them women and children. One of yours?"

"I don't know," the driver replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I know someone likes sending mutants our way. It's good, but it's tough with the resources allowed to us."

"I understand." Logan waited with the drivers for a few minutes, waiting for the vehicles to come by. It took a few minutes, but the long line trudged through, six in all. They stopped when they saw Logan and the two drivers and proceeded to talk with the latter, but Logan was more interested in who and what they had.

Checking each truck briefly, all Logan saw were mutants, most of them women and children. Some were pregnant like Danielle or held onto small children, but most did not have any husbands or boyfriends nearby. Some older ones have teenaged sons, now head of the family. But they were all alone…and they were frightened.

Disgusted by the harsh reality, Logan moved on, counting people on each truck as he went. Estimating about maybe sixty mutants in five trucks in so far, Logan moved on to the last one. It appeared to be empty except for essentials like food and water (the latter now frozen), but some movement caught his attention. Seeing that everyone behind him was distracted with formalities and even pleasant greetings, Logan climbed onto the back, claws released. He moved slowly, looking left and right and make sure he was not being ambushed, and soon put his claws back into his knuckles. The smell was enough. He knew who was there.

It took a few moments, but a shadow turned into a body, arms raised. It was Peter Rasputin, dirty, unshowered and alive. Next to him was some scrawny guy in the same conditions, maybe a few years older, petulant and scowling at Logan. He nudged Peter to put his hands down, knowing that they had been caught and thinking that they were going to die. However, there was recognition in Peter's eyes and that was good news in Logan's mind. But there was one more person who was missing in the lineup. It took some seconds, but soon Phineas Teller made an appearance. With long white hair and an even whiter beard, Teller looked the part of a wanted criminal and being on the run. He smiled at Logan too, like they were old friends, and shrugged his shoulders in indifference.

"Logan," Teller greeted. "Would you believe me if I said you were a sight for sore eyes?"

"Save me your sarcasm," Logan replied. "What are you doing here? I thought you all were in Seattle and settling mutants across the border."

"We were," the scrawny other one said. "The commanding officers sniffed us out and chased us."

"Well, _we_ gave them the chase," Peter corrected, crossing his arms. "We lost them, found Teller and hid in here."

"Best way to get Peter and Mr. Rankin here out of hot water," Teller explained. "I'm sure we can figure things out once we're settled too."

"Indeed." Logan looked around at the meager supplies. "I would assume you'd be joining us."

"I hope so," Teller replied, licking his dry lips. "I would like to see Danielle."

"She's not up for your antics," Logan snapped rudely, not caring if Rankin or Peter stared in confusion. "We're not in a position to play your games. We've been surviving the best we can."

"I can tell." Teller was quiet. "Think we can join your truck for a bit though? I'm getting stiff from squishing in-between this food."

"If you can tolerate women crying, come join us." Logan did not want to spare the three the horrors already behind him nor did he want the question repeated. However, he also did not like Teller around, even if he was good for information. "We've recently had a kid die."

"Anything contagious?" Rankin was curious, but the look shot by Logan to him was one that shut him up. This made Teller grin, but it was not long before some grim details were released.

"Nothing that would harm another," Logan clarified. "However, I would be careful where I would tread. There are more women in my truck than the others you have combined. Say the wrong word, a pair of hands would race to get to your neck. I can't guarantee your safety."

It was with experience that Logan said it, but it shut everyone up. That silence was good enough though. He would need it, despite the women he would soon surround himself with once more.

* * *

**Song lyrics from above are from the Aerosmith song, "Angel". In addition, I want to credit the Marvel Database once more for the information on Logan and his early life, although I made some things up on my own. Unfortunately, because I wanted to stick more with the movies on this chapter, I did switch the roles of Dog (who was Logan's biological brother) and Victor Creed. The man who did come to bother Logan and Rose was actually Dog, who almost was killed by Logan until Rose came between them. Victor Creed did not meet Logan in the comics until after World War I.**


	33. To Live Without Questioning

_**November 21**_

_I am relieved in many ways, even as a lot of grief hangs over us like a cloud. We met up with another set of people heading north like we are, along with more mutants wanting to go to the shelter too. And guess who was in the truck? I couldn't believe it either. It was Phineas Teller, along with Peter Rasputin (Colossus) and another mutant named Calvin Rankin, who also goes by the name of Mimic._

_Logan managed to get the three onto our truck in the front just as Mae left with the baby that just died, who died of an illness there since birth (and trust me, even with no details, I felt my heart go out to the woman and her other children). Despite the quiet of the truck (the mother sedated by another nurse), Teller brought some warmth with him, a personality I knew he always had. He sat down next to me, watching the children fight over the silliest things and feeling awkward as one of the few men left in the mutant community here. Like with the Nazis so long ago, men seem to be the first to go._

"_How goes it, Bitch?" Teller asked me quietly._

"_I'm not sure anymore." I shrugged my shoulders. "I feel like a cow right now and can't say."_

_Teller looked at me funny. "I've never dealt with you pregnant before. Does that make you bitchier than you normally are?"_

_I smacked him on the shoulder. "No. And you should know better, especially with a truckful of women."_

"_I can see the torture already." Teller looked around the truck, eying everyone before facing me again. "What got you here? Where's everyone else?"_

"_We decided to split up." No more words needed to be said._

_Teller nodded. "I heard that and where people went. But why here? Why stick yourself in the cold tundra that Canada can be? You can't be thinking that being pregnant and having an adventure can coincide?"_

_It's a strange thing to admit, but for once, Teller was right. "What choice did I have? I couldn't stay in Salem Center. They would have found me again."_

"_Who's 'they'?"_

"They_ were a group that captured me." I paused, trying to catch my breath and not thinking of Vinnie. "One of your bodyguards decided to sell me out. They never bothered the others, but I am sure it would have come in time."_

"_What did they do?"_

"_I'm not sure. They tormented us mutants often, but I didn't see the point."_

"_Experimenting with mental anguish?"_

"_I would assume so. I don't know, Teller."_

_Glad to see that Teller did not want to talk about the subject further, I smiled. "Come on, Teller. Want to tell me something I don't know?"_

"_I heard some rumors, but I don't think it's true," Teller began. "The United States has been having more experiments of their own. They have the camps of course, but there are a lot of neighborhoods blocked off lately."_

_I remembered the talk from Parker about the ghettos. People in the mutant communities did not believe anything about the camps. Today, states are being asked to ship them out, county by county everyday, and thousands are fleeing, in case they are next or are human with the X chromosome that passes on a mutation to a child. Now, we were being told that there are ghettos for the most powerful, where they can be controlled better. I couldn't tell where the fine line was, but in my heart, I was beginning to believe it._

"_Do you know if they are being liquidated?" I asked weakly, aware that my throat was slowly closing._

"_Well, I heard people are being told to leave their homes and find them blocked off and guarded by robot guards." Teller scratched his white head of hair. "Down in Washington, they talked about it like it was nothing. Some of them said that it was the first of things to come. I say, it's becoming worse. If there are these things kicking around, then we know that something special is planned for people like us. These neighborhood places bring more people together, but they're crowded. Sickness is rampant because everybody is stripped of their mutant powers from a powerful entrance device that covers the area. There are no more collars. Guards walk in day and night to check in on you and make you bend to their wills."_

"_It's like a camp," I observed._

"_Worse, from what I am hearing," Teller corrected. "Or, it's what the rumors say in my ears." He shrugged his shoulders again. "What do I know? I'm just an old man waiting to die and make drinks at the bar in hell."_

"_I can hardly wait to see you there." I shivered, even underneath all of my winter gear, and gripped the baby underneath me tightly. I never knew a place could get so cold._

_Teller only looked at me askew. "Are you ok, Danielle? You don't seem like yourself."_

_I begged myself not to laugh frantically. I begged myself not to give into the madness that was starting to consume me. This trip, this long journey from a place I've called home to a place full of ice, cold and snow, has been one of misery. It would have driven anyone to an early grave. It would have taken the strongest to survive, they would say. It has been fear, loss and distrust melted into the pot we strove not to stir, one that characterized this journey to hell. Now, we sit here, in a cold truck with colder souls, striving to survive the lives we now have left to us. We now are an exiled people, a group of unique humans now driven from the places we've lived, the people we loved and the things we've cared so much for._

_We are mutants. There are so few of us left these days, but we must carry on, even if we are not ourselves. We must work together now to ensure our future._

_In this case, I had to smile and nod. I would think Teller would chalk it up with me being so pregnant, but even I knew better. I was not myself these days. Fear drove me, misery whipped me and depression chained me. I lost so many people that I clung to those very close to me with a viciousness nobody can deny. Before me was Teller. Years before, I would have killed him without hesitation. Today, I would gladly risk my life for him, although he would first ensure that the children and I were safe ourselves._

_As the wind blew in from the back, I closed my eye. Breathing in the harsh cold, I shook my head. There was something in the air, I could swear to it, but I did not want to define it now. I could not and would not. There was too much at stake already and too much to lose._

_I opened my eyes again. "It's going to be a hard night," I only said, feeling Logan come closer when he sensed that something was wrong. "Let's enjoy what we have when it's here."_

_And that's all I can say, all I can _feel_. Take the best that we can, give when it's available and sit in the moment. Sometimes, those moments will be fleeting and never will come back._

~00~

Maybe three days later, after a heavy blizzard almost lost them the road, Rogue saw that they had arrived. Although it didn't seem it at first, she and Devon only had to squint their eyes through the new snowstorm after their entrance to see the fenced and secured compound, its lights showing them the pathway inside. From their position at the far end of the truck, it was the best view to see their new home, from the words exchanged with the guards to records being shared and more food and blankets being passed around. In the shuffle that quickly followed through the snow and wind, Rogue grabbed Michael and Devon held onto Riley, walking them forward in a single line with the others (their companions too far behind). Off the truck with what seemed like almost a hundred others, they filed into the largest building around.

Bright lights from above, even feeling like they were under a spotlight, did nothing to quell Rogue's nervousness. Squaring her shoulders as the warmth enveloped her, she held onto Michael in front of her with ease, her fingers digging gently into his collarbone, and walked in the line some feet more, hearing whispers from the others in front of her about what was happening and their awe, but soon they were shushed so words from the front could be heard. There were so many of them that messages were passed from the front of the line to the back, strange and wonderful things that even seemed to alien to Rogue that she had to shake her head a few times to realize where she was and that this was reality.

The director of the building was kind, she heard, passing it back to Devon behind her. They would be handled on an individual basis. Families and friends must stick together and anyone alone would be asked to join a group. Each person and their families will be assigned a place to sleep, although beds were not available to all (blankets and pillows would be though). Everyone was going to be evaluated privately and assigned a place to sleep. Mingling was allowed at normal waking hours, but any working positions without pay would be provided if anyone was interested. Anyone was allowed to leave the premises, but it was at their own risk and might cost them their lives. They would leave and enter through one doorway and a person at the door will record who came in and out. There was no curfew enforced, although one might be if conditions worsened.

As Rogue listened more, she relaxed and started to feel as if she was in harmless hands, even without Logan behind her. Even the children did too, realizing that they were safe. Michael then started squirming underneath her grip, looking around for his mother, still too far behind them with the others. Riley saw this happen and wanted to do the same, but Devon had them stopped with a look that even made Rogue wither.

"We wait," Devon announced. "Mom, Dad and Mae are behind us. We have to be patient."

"What's being patient about?" Michael asked peevishly, which earned him a tighter grip from Rogue. "I don't see it."

Devon sighed in frustration. "Look, I know this is hard, but we need to wait. We can't just run around here like idiots and get lost. We need to wait our turn, match our names and make sure they know that we have family."

Rogue said nothing. Devon cut in deeply, but she knew why. She kept quiet about it, unsure if she should add anything, but could not find the words to soften the blow for the youngsters. Tears grew heavy in her eyes, but she wiped them away before Devon saw her. It would not be the first time that he would see them and try to talk to her into the harshness of the world as he wiped them away. She knew it as well as he did. However, what he did not realize was that, while Rogue was older than he was when his parents were murdered and she on the run, she was taking a few steps back. This was nearby the place where she met up with Logan, almost seven years ago.

It was not as if Devon was a hard man. No, on the contrary, Rogue thought, as the line moved forward slowly. He was soft inside, protective and vengeful on the outside. He was a hurt man, eighteen to her twenty-two, and still young enough to see that the world was never going to change…and that his revenge would be continuous, for the rest of his life. It was a cycle that would never end, Rogue saw, and it was her chance to get him to stop his nonsense, if only he could see it her way.

And their relationship wasn't something she planned. Indeed, Rogue paid Devon little to no attention when he arrived at the school, except maybe to lead him to class, until recently, after their initial incarceration. Their close quarters and their closeness in age were factors, but not all. Devon showed Rogue his kindness, gentleness and strength. He was a balm to the wounds Bobby had inflicted on her and might be the relationship that would bounce her back to another, but that was no matter. Devon was a sweet man and a joy to be around.

_For the time being. And then what will you do to him?_

Rogue did not want to think negative thoughts right now. She was happy that they made it alive. She was grateful that Michael and Riley had a place to sleep without fear. Best of all, there was a time and place to meet somewhere with Devon and have the alone time they craved. Rogue did not feel like she needed to babysit all the time and wanted to talk to Logan about it, but that can be later. Now, they would be registered and hopefully, be able to live a life without questions and without anyone seeing their true mission.

After all, that was what Rogue liked best. And here was the way to start it.


	34. Make the Stand

They made it. As the warmth spread through the window from the rising sun, Hank saw that they were landing…and landing in Brazil. Three days of uncertainty, when they thought that their mission was over and their three new friends were being sent on without them, made Hank too nervous, but now that was over. The next leg of the mission was going to start and hopefully, it would be smoother than he anticipated.

Next to him at the aisle seat, Magneto sighed. He stretched his legs into the aisle after an attendant passed by, his face the perfect model of complaint. Hank did not want to hear it though. After all they had been through, the tired days and argumentative nights, he did not want to hear of getting stuck in Panama and being unable to cross into the next country because of blockades and parades from the higher-ups. It had taken a lot of talking (and some help from Xavier, but that was beside the point) and they had managed to get onto a plane that not only got them to Brazil and a waiting boat on the Amazon and Xingu Rivers, but also one that would hold their truck and treat Blink, Warpath and Sunspot fairly.

It wasn't that Hank did not like their conditions, noting that they all made it unscathed. No, he did not like where it led them. From what he heard from the locals in whispers on the plane, Brazil did not loom well for their new friends. Blink, Sunspot and Warpath would now have to contend with conditions beyond what they experienced in the Kansas camp, which include inhumane and unsanitary conditions, little privacy and crowds of mutants, full of disease and disdain.

Hank remembered living in that camp too. While the camp commander was a cruel man, playing with them like pawns and being emotionally abusive and horrible in general, he did not tolerate a messy camp, making inmates clean up anything, especially bodies and graves. The prison, a little more south near Cuiabá, was said to be falling apart, its prisoners dying underground as their captors rejoiced above their heads. Its walls were covered in moisture and mildew, mold crawling black in many areas. Water seeped through from nearby rivers and streams, causing some areas of total flooding. Nobody was ever warm. It drained away, just as the rust on the bars gets washed away, and one can simply float away dead.

Magneto seemed to have read Hank's thoughts almost. "Do you believe we've made a mistake now?" he asked, making Hank aware that he thought the opposite.

"No," Hank replied carefully. "I only wish there was a less painful way."

"In war, there never is. There is always agony."

Hank had to agree, but did not voice that for fear that proving this old adversary wrong in the previous years would yield a smug response. Magneto sounded too pessimistic, but he had always been that way, ever since they met over forty years ago and he was nothing more than a man bent on revenge on the people who killed his family and humanity. Nothing changed that perspective. Hank did not think any actions or words would anyway.

"Besides," Magneto continued, "they all know the risks. Why would they not take it in order to further this cause?"

"Anyone used for bait is always a bad thing," Hank pointed out.

"Oh? You think they don't know that either?"

"Well…"

"Hank," Magneto said severely, something that caught the mutant's attention, "there are always sacrifices we all must face. We chose to play the part of captor. They chose to be the prisoners. They agreed with Firebird that they would. After playing liberators, don't you think they would do even more in order to free those who felt the same pain they did, bled the same they did?"

Hank did not need to remind Magneto that humans and mutants both bled the same and felt the same. Then again, another argument was not a good idea. With all of the mistrust everyone had against the other, adding more injury was an unjust idea. It would never be fair, especially in love and politics, but that was not what Hank saw was the point. What he did not want to tell Magneto was that he was starting to see the flaws in their plan, that maybe seeing Bishop was a bad person to deal with, but he did not see a way to convey that. Once Magneto had an idea in his head, he would not back down. And if Xavier backed him up, there definitely was not way to walk away.

_Charles trusted that Erik would come back and learn that hope and peace was the way. I don't see the change. I see another scheme, another way to use us. Does Charles see that? Does Charles see that Erik might be using Bishop too?_

Probably not, Hank reasoned, but that had yet to be seen. He only looked at Magneto with a weak smile. It was one of agreement, nothing more.

"I understand," Hank replied, as a politician should, "but I feel that there should be a way for them to escape unscathed."

"I believe there will be," Magneto reassured Hank, in a way that made the latter shiver. "Bishop, before he was cut off, said that his group is willing to fight out of need be, but there is an escape route to take."

"And why could they not do this earlier and meet us someplace else? Why this insane trip down south to the middle of nowhere?"

"To make people like you ask questions. I see that it has worked." Magneto snickered. "Use that head of yours, Beast. I would assume that you had some common sense in there."

"A mass escape from mutants would generate a large-scaled search," Hank explained, almost to himself. "We might be used by other means."

"Go on."

"We might have a harder time achieving our goal of peace."

"Yes, we would."

"But you have no goal of peace in mind."

"I agreed to it though, much as I did not like Charles' way. He did agree to do some things my way, if the need arose though." Magneto looked over Hank's shoulder, seeing that they were starting to landing at the airport somewhere near the river. "It was our pact, Beast, much as you make yours with many others and never keep them."

Hank wanted to protest, but dared not because it would not do. Magneto was right anyway. As a politician, he made insane promises that he could not keep, although he tried his best to keep his end up. Sometimes though, it was better to make them and look like the worse man in the end than to argue for days without a solution and all are angry. Hank was never the only one in the ring of politicians, but he felt bad for it nonetheless.

"I am a man of honor, with many children I did not raise and a world of mutants who could not understand what I did was for them and _us_," Magneto continued. "They all viewed me as a terrorist with no sense of morality. And they are right. I did not know right and wrong, but what I did, I thought it was right for _us_, for all mutants. Humans do not know what it is like to be us, to be outcasts in the way many others before us were. They fear what they do not understand. Charles, try as he did, urged me away from it and it cost me much, even my children. My Brotherhood was broken and I was an old man myself."

"You would never walk away from anything that strayed from your path." It was a statement, not a question.

"Of course. But what I am to judge? Who can tell me that I am no sinner? I cannot cast stones anymore, Hank. You, as well as I, know that it would cause ripples in which we cannot bring back. It is best it cause something that _would_ bring something good back to us, not bad."

"Like making everyone a mutant? Or trying to kill all of the humans?"

"I cannot say that those actions were right or wrong. What we believe to be morale is right in our minds. However, I can see that this mission is based on good intentions, but the pathway to hell might be in our futures. I do not see a good ending to this."

Hank thought that Magneto spoke the truth. "I don't either, Erik. To be honest, I think this mission, on our end anyway, has been built upon nothing except breeding mistrust and hatred. That alone would make it fail."

"I also believe that Bishop has a good group, but it might not stand against the leading power of the world, even if we united," Magneto conceded, nodding. "We need to take that chance though. We need to strike when the time seems ripe. Right now, this is only the beginning."

"The beginning of what?" Hank was curious.

"Perhaps a new future." Magneto shrugged his shoulders. "We shall see. I hope that the people we care for would come home to us."

"Then, we might be able to play cat and mouse again." Hank had to smile.

It was there that their conversation had to end, even as images of long ago fights swirled in both of their minds. The flight attendant had announced that they could unbuckle their seatbelts and leave. Of course, Roger and his man left first, in order to ensure that their truck was secured and ready to drive away to the river, and Ororo, Bobby and Kitty took control of Blink, Warpath and Sunspot. As soon as was possible, when Roger and his man said that things were all set, the three took their prisoners out. Hank and Magneto, along with Xavier and Matthew, took the rear, in case people thought it strange they did nothing as old men. However, Xavier leaned on Magneto more heavily than before. It was a change Hank noticed, a subtle one that showed that perhaps Xavier was slowly losing his ability to keep up the charade.

"Do we need a wheelchair?" Hank asked Xavier in a whisper, seeing that his legs, as well as his powers, were slowly weakening.

"No." Xavier waved Hank away. "Once we are on the river, I shall be fine."

"I don't doubt that, Charles, but don't you think you're going too far with this?"

Xavier could see the care in Hank's eyes, but he did not need it. Right now, he could see that Hank's concentration was someplace in-between the past, where he had helped Xavier the most, and the future, where there might be bleak conditions for all of them. He needed his usually blue furred scientist/politician to stay focused on what was in front of them, but what was for the individual. Xavier was more concerned for Blink, Sunspot and Warpath, more than anything else.

"No," Xavier replied with a smile. "I believe that we need to keep to the rear and ensure that no prisoner escapes."

It was a gentle rebuff. Hank felt the light rejection dearly, but pushed it away. Xavier was right. And it took no effort to get back into character and pick up their weapons, handing it out to everyone. It took more to appear gruff as they disembarked from the plane and got to the truck. It would take a short drive to the river and a longer one to the prison. Their appointment to drive onto the boat was within the hour. With Roger asking for directions before leaving, it left Hank with more thoughts. As he, Xavier and Magneto took to their customary spots in the back of the truck, he again wished for the safety of his bed in New York.

That was to be no more though. All Hank would ever wish for (since praying never seemed to be his thing, unusual as it was for a scientist and politician) was a peaceful drive to the river and a calmer one to the prison. He wished that Sunspot and Warpath wouldn't be so macho and not show off and that Blink would keep them in line. He, most of all, wished that nobody found them out. Even if they could use Kitty's supposed new gift for going back in time, it wouldn't change much. As a scientist should know, time cannot be changed and the people of the past could not change to a new future.

_Right?_

It was all Hank could do to not doubt his own beliefs. Changing past times were never a ripple in the water. It was always going forward. No alternative universes, no people coming back to live or dying. Everyone who was in there and now was never going to change for anything, even him. If he was going to die, he would never want to come back to life. He couldn't live forever.

Secured in the truck and soon feeling its motion, Hank looked around him before watching them leave the airport, ignoring everyone's stares at me. Soon, he was out in the bright sunshine, sweat crawling down his back quickly and flies wishing to catch them unawares. He closed his eyes, his own mind upon the past and the music played there. It was always an easy time to forget things back then, even in the heat of the night, when nothing else mattered except the person with you and the night before you…

_Won't you look down upon me, Jesus?  
You've got to help me make a stand.  
You've just got to see me through another day.  
My body's aching and my time is at hand.  
I won't make it any other way._

_Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain.  
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.  
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend.  
But I always thought that I'd see you again…_

* * *

**Above lyrics are from the Jame Taylor song "Fire and Rain".**


	35. Creating Plans

It was a bright morning for Canada, but Danielle thought it gloomy nonetheless, seeing the clouds coming in through the large windows on the other side of the floor. She woke up some more from a restless sleep, the first morning at the refuge they had taken, and studied her surroundings. Around her, the children were sleeping (Rogue and Devon had long since disappeared), even the baby inside of her, and the only people up were Logan and Mae. Mae had managed to find some coffee and was drinking some with a smile on her face, something that was making Danielle's stomach churn. Logan was sitting next to her, but appeared grumpy. It might have to do with the no smoking law in the facility as far as Danielle was concerned, but that would soon pass when they started to explore their new freedom.

And it seemed like a new kind of liberty, in Danielle's opinion anyway. When she heard the news passed from the front of the room to the back, it seemed like a relief. People would be placed together and always as a group, with families together. They would appear united and have the support that they craved. There was always someone there to ask what you needed, where you were going and about your family, like you were a normal person. People were concerned about your wellbeing. Strangely enough too, most workers here were human and had respect for the mutants, Danielle saw, and it was a great feeling to wake up and not have to worry about going into town and being ridiculed.

Carefully, Danielle got up, throwing her blankets on top of Michael and Riley for the time being, and walked over to Mae and Logan. The former smiled at her and offered coffee, which Danielle declined weakly. The latter looked at her blankly, but behind his eyes there was something that asked for privacy. Danielle only smiled and turned to Mae.

"What's the plan?" she asked the elder woman.

Mae shrugged her shoulders. "What do I know? We just got here, Teller and his two accomplices are resting and the children seem to be adjusting."

"Do you know where Rogue and Devon are?" Danielle did not consider them children anymore, even if Devon was still her son.

"Off," Logan answered, which most likely meant they explored and found someplace to be alone for a while.

"Great." Danielle found a chair nearby their space that nobody was using and sat down. "Seems like you can easily get lost in here."

"And have someone ensure that you haven't left premises," Mae pointed out. "I'm sure Devon and Rogue are fine though. What I am worried about is _us_."

"What do you mean?" Danielle soon smelled breakfast from the kitchens and almost hurled her stomach contents.

"We can't really scout without telling someone where we are," Logan said as he turned to Danielle. "I would prefer we all stay here."

"And you?" Danielle looked at Logan gently, knowing his thoughts on where he stood and his plans. "Who are you appointing second banana while you sneak away?"

"Your sister-in-law," Logan replied, almost sarcastically.

"What?" Mae whipped her head between Logan and Danielle several times before stopping her gaze at Logan. "You're not planning on going out there, are you, Logan?"

"Who else can?" Logan's fingers twitched, mostly from his lack of cigars. "I know the area, I can escape and I can't really be killed."

"They said to walk out of the building at your own risk," Mae warned. "The workers here might have a better idea of what's going on in the area. Maybe one of us can approach someone and inquire? Might be better than going out there blindly."

Logan grunted something akin to consent. Danielle smiled again, amused (she thought her translation of Logan's grunting was getting better), but something was bothering her about the whole plan…because something had been bothering Logan too. He just had not revealed it to her until that moment.

"What do we know though?" Danielle asked the two of them generally. "That there are always things that go bump in the night for mutants?"

Mae nodded. "That much we know. But like I said, I can snoop around and see what others know."

"Rogue and Devon can also listen," Danielle added. "If they come back, we can tell them what they would need to look for and give us what information they've gathered."

"I would assume this is the case because they are already getting a reputation for running off," Logan said. "And assuming, they would listen to others instead of each other, that is."

"Exactly, but I have faith in both of them." Danielle thought for a minute. "Are you _sure_ they're that involved with each other? I thought it was harmless."

"Have you even seen them recently?" Mae sounded scandalized.

"Considering what we both have done in the past, I would refrain from judging their actions. We have done no better than they have when we were younger."

"Yes, but we have also _learned_ from our mistakes for the most part. Some people need a little more help than others though."

Danielle seemed flabbergasted at Mae's obvious jab at everyone, herself included. "You can't say how irresponsible someone is just by their actions. Maybe if you actually looked into motive, you would understand. Granted, some people might not think things through clearly, but that's not the point. People always grow and make mistakes."

"And arguing is another," Logan interjected, to stop the two from bickering. "I agree with the plan. Rogue and Devon can listen around, when they are bothered to. Mae, you can ask around, but don't make it obvious. I'm also sure the kids will pick up some more information at playtime when we need it. Clear?"

Both Danielle and Mae nodded.

"Good." Logan stood up. "I am going to find a cigar."

Logan left Mae and Danielle. The two women watched him disappear amongst the others waking up. While it was almost six in the morning, they had some time left before Michael and Riley woke up themselves. They looked to each other awkwardly, like the argument had taken them by surprise and they didn't know what to do with the other, and looked away again. Mae made the first move, knowing that Danielle was too stubborn to try to make amends.

"You're right," Mae admitted as she saw the back of Danielle's red and white head. "I am just tired of those two running off any time they feel like it. Every time I turn around, when I need them the most, they've disappeared."

"We can't always rely on Rogue and Devon for everything though," Danielle replied, turning around to face Mae too. "They're young and full of life, trying to enjoy what they have now. They've been through too much and easily fell in each other's company, like we did with many others too. Let them be happy when they have the chance to take it."

Mae put down her coffee cup next to a small table behind her and crossed her arms. "But they need to understand that their playtime isn't on their schedule, but ours. You aren't in the condition to chase your children all the time and Logan is still learning to be a parent. It took a lot out of him when you disappeared, so I've heard, and he dove right into the kids if he wasn't hiding in the bedroom. Devon is their brother and we chose Rogue because we didn't want her running the chance of seeing her ex-boyfriend and his new plaything."

"I feel for Rogue though."

"But don't let your pity swallow you whole. I think you relate more to her than you realize, but you didn't have a fall guy. You kept going to the same one until your marriage. You seem to have a soft spot for Logan."

"I was a glutton for punishment. What can I say?"

"Look what Vinnie did to you though! I just hope that Richard Parker is safe and did not need to do anything harsh to the man. I mean, Vinnie was good when you were all younger. He seemed to have everything out for him. He was educated with the Professor, he went to college and he stayed home to volunteer in the community, dated a local girl on and off and worked nights with Phineas Teller. Nobody knew that he had a dark side and that he was dissatisfied with being a mutant. He was tired of being pushed around."

"It does not give him an excuse to try and kill us."

"No," Mae conceded, seeing that the populace was starting to wake up. "However, I am more than happy to see that breakfast is being served. What do you want?"

"What's there?" Danielle was in no mood for breakfast, but finally seeing that Michael and Riley were stirring. "Do they have a menu?"

"I doubt it," Mae replied, "but I am more than willing to bet that they have bacon and eggs. It'll save you some time in cooking though. You don't need to worry anymore."

"Yeah." Danielle was thinking for a minute, rushing over to escape Mae's lecturing. In truth, she needed the distraction, away from reality and what was happening around them.

Sure, it was a good time to sit back and relax, watching life go by, but that was not their mission. It was already said how they were going to spy on everyone and receive their information before going forward. Freedom was in their grasp, even though it might bring more trouble. They might be closer to getting to their allies in Department H than they were a month ago. Danielle felt that time was slipping away though. They wasted precious days with each other, afraid of the future, and soon found themselves in a shelter that would make sure they lived better lives…and a way to their future, for themselves and everyone around them.

Danielle slipped into the cubicle-like stall that housed all of them. Although there had been no desk above their heads and only some shelving units that took their remaining things, it was comfortable and smug for their needs. She took Michael and Riley into her arms as they woke up, happy to see them alive, and studied the area around her once more. Everyone seemed to have their own space in the same way, which made Danielle think this was a converted call center. She soon expanded her mind and sought the feel of the place. Everyone slept close together, ate together and even played together. Some families were wary of others and did not trust many, which was very understandable. Others were workers trying to make this place as calm was possible, providing for all needs.

After their usual morning routine of dressing and washing by a basin outside their space when enough exploring was through, Danielle managed to find the line to the kitchens for food, finding Teller, Rankin and Peter behind them. Mae held onto Michael and she held onto Riley, walking slowly to the steamy room with their companions behind them. The food smelled delicious, but Danielle was still feeling queasy, unable to think about eating. To distract herself from the agonizing ordeal, she glanced around at the walls. All of them held the odd posters, telling of rules, announcements and events. One bright flyer caught Danielle's attention though. It was for this coming Thanksgiving music show, for those who celebrated or not. Someone was planning on putting on a show after a turkey dinner, someone named John Mellows, and would be asking for anyone to join him.

Danielle deliberated the upcoming event for some time, causing her to stop completely. When Mae nudged her from behind, she moved forward, but her eyes remained on the poster about John Mellows. Mae noticed this and nodded, waiting until they were too far away from the announcements so that she could ask Danielle was the matter was. She did not think it so interesting, especially for Danielle, to be staring so intently at a notice about a music show.

It took a while and some gagging later, but Mae soon heard what Danielle was planning, even through her sickness. Even as Logan handed out assignments like it was nothing, Danielle seemed to find something that would take her mind off of the trivial things and get her back on track.

"What do you think of a pregnant showgirl?" Danielle asked Mae jokingly, which caused Teller behind them to snicker before he covered his mouth.

Mae had no words. She could not convey her negativity about the subject and was about to say something, but Danielle beat her to it.

"There are so many ways that people can get information," Danielle clarified, which even made even Teller turn serious when he saw that she was. "Someone so invisible as me could get much more than a nurse, kids playing or even two lovers out on a date. Someone behind a stage could blend into the environment, watch the audience and pick up on unique circumstances. I have done it before, many years ago, but this time will be different. This time, I wouldn't need to do anything. I think I would allow them to come to me."


	36. A Long Trip Into the Unknown

_**November 26**_

_Oh, what a day! I'm so tired and all seems very quiet so far, with the occasional shot being heard from afar. The dimming lights above me are soothing, but it does not compare to the unusual day that I had with Logan. He's been out constantly looking for something or someone before today, but he has yet to find it or has and will not tell us. Either way, no information has been forthwith, people have been cautious of us and Michael and Riley seem lonely without the kids they befriended on the truck. But trust is a long road and I am hoping it would be a fruitful one._

_Indeed, everything is not going according to plan and everything about ours need to change. I have yet to meet with the person I want to, Mae has been busy with the nurses and Devon and Rogue have been getting their reputation out there. All according to the plan, I suppose, but today was not on the list of things to do and most certainly not what should be going on with a war outside our doors. Honestly, it all started with Logan this morning, a seemingly innocent time which differed greatly from now. About the time we got up, he went in search of Rogue and Devon and dragged them back to our cubicle about fifteen minutes later by their ears (literally), demanding that they watch Michael and Riley after breakfast._

"_Why, Dad?" Devon demanded as he and Rogue were released, wanting to pick a fight and annoyed perhaps that his time with Rogue was interrupted._

"_Because I fuckin' said so." Logan's word seemed final and his face a mask of what he truly felt. "Now, get on with breakfast."_

_Devon wanted to get the last word in, but I shot him a face that said the same message, which made him shut up. Rogue did not bother to add anything although her nonverbal motions said a lot more than simple annoyance. She flipped her long brown and white hair and searched for the breakfast line, Devon soon behind her and eying her ass (amongst others things). Mae was with the other nurses, so Logan and I took Michael and Riley through the lines this time. However, when we were finished, Rogue and Devon took over. Logan pulled me in another direction and made me leave without a goodbye. He then grabbed our winter gear, stopping and giving enough time to get them on. We then went outside, signing our names to those going outside the fence._

_It was an oddly sunny day. Logan led me to a car that he seemed to be borrowing for the day. He opened the door on the passenger side for me, pulling a set of keys out of his pocket as he closed the door for me. He then entered the driver side and started the car. He drove on, stopping only to allow the gate to open for us, and began a long trip into the unknown._

_I was not familiar with the area like Logan was. It didn't take too long to figure out where he was going though. He was going west, heading right over the border to British Columbia within the hour. He drove like this in silence for some time, not telling me where we were going and why. I didn't bother asking or connecting with him. I figured this to be private and didn't ask any questions, seeing the serious determination on his face. Mostly, conversation was about the weather and maybe a word or two about the mountains. From afar, I found the landscape pretty and wanted to say something other than a complaint about the cold. Logan didn't respond, but he nodded a few times. He was listening._

_About noon, when I was getting hungry for lunch and asking where the nearest convenience store was, Logan turned sharply into a snowy driveway. I didn't think it was there if we passed it, but it looked like it hadn't been seeing usage in recent years, even though the way seems plowed somewhat. Logan had to dodge all of the potholes filled with some snow, avoid skidding off the way a few times and once stopped the car to move aside some broken tree branches. It took some time, but we soon reached a large clearing, fields on both sides opening up to grey skies. From there, we passed some small rundown buildings, sheds and even a small cottage or two. Down the way, as Logan drove through and over some snow drifts and piles, was a huge house, buried in dead trees and some winter-like foliage._

_It took some time for Logan to find a spot to park the car safely and have a place to turn around in. I was sure that someone was here recently to clear out the snow though. Footprints littered the foundation of the house and a shovel stood haphazardly in the doorway. Logan ignored this and turned the car off, getting out to help me. I stepped out and sensed the area, sensing some danger, but nothing immediate and with no clear objection for this trip yet. Logan showed the same attitude as well (he cleared his mind of all purpose, it seemed), taking my hand and leading me to the door. Once he opened it, a flood of memories crawled out from him, all of them good and bad. From there, I deduced that we were at the home in which he spent his childhood, a home that has seen generation after generation of families try to make it theirs, but never succeeding._

_The door opened with an eerie creek. Logan went in first (the heavier out of the two of us), his hand still holding mine, testing each floorboard to ensure safety. However, I knew the place to still be sound for the most part. I followed behind him, looking around at the wide, open space above our heads, the nineteenth century chandelier sparkling dust above our heads and the snow sprinkling white glitter from the tiny cracks from overhead down in our faces. Logan past all of this, his chest squeezing tightly as we went up the stairs (even I felt it), our footsteps sounding heavy. We managed it, making holes a few times with our feet (panicking as we did), but navigated the hallway with more ease._

_It was then that Logan directed me down the hallway upstairs, turned to the right towards the end and entered a room that used to be a library. Abandoned bookcases without the books lined the walls and an antique desk sat in the center. However, I was surprised to see Parker sitting in the chair at the desk, his hands folded against the cold and his body bundled into layers of clothing to battle it. He stared at us with urgency. It was then and there that I saw the danger, one that Parker was going to warn us of._

"_I apologize for bringing you here, Jimmy," Parker began uncertainly, seeing perhaps the pain in Logan's eyes. "It was the only place they didn't know you stayed."_

"_What do you want?" I blurted out, finally seeing the purpose of this trip._

_Parker turned to me. "Even without you friend's help, Department H has publically stated that they are buying Trask's Sentinel program and are now infiltrating the Canadian government as we speak. They already have held official hostages and are willing to exchange them for others they want more. Here."_

_From a pocket, Parker pulled out a paper, similar to a wanted poster from the olden days, and handed it to me. I took it, but was surprised that it was not one person, they were searching for, but many and all of them mutants or humans known for equality. An X was put on a picture when noting that they were captured or dead, but many more were at large, including us…_us_…and all of the X-Men and the Brotherhood. I even saw pictures of Jean and Scott, shivering when I recalled that they too were killed by the tragic Dark Phoenix, and some mutants I recalled were from communities across the globe. When I reached the bottom, shocked into a wordless silence, I saw Parker's picture there._

_I looked up, handing it to Logan. He took a quick glance and said nothing, crumbling the paper in his hands and putting it in his pocket._

"_What does it mean for us?" he asked Parker, his face a mask._

"_It means that there will be no refuge for the mutants anymore," Parker simply stated. "We are all hunted people. Other countries are slowly falling and the wrong people are put in charge. Spain, England, Wales, Ireland, Portugal, France, Iceland, Denmark, Russia…you think these countries who've hated the United States will stand back and allow a safe zone for all people from there, the starting point? You think they don't have their jealousy and fear of mutants and those who helped them?"_

"_What about the Red Cross?" My stomach was twisting in a million directions. "They have been authorized to have a safe area for mutants."_

_Parker waved his hand in dismissal. "It's to be no more. You have a few hours, at most a day, before an assault will begin. The workers are aware and not telling the population anything without panic, but it won't be long before it'll get to them and become more obvious. Men will want to take arms and defend what's theirs. The fear will leave them and bring to reality what they need to protect. But before long, when there are too many women and children, they will take up what's been left behind to them."_

"_This can't be happening." I couldn't believe it, _refused_ to. "This really can't be happening. We just got here."_

"_Because you've been followed," Parker replied, matter-of-factly. "Since the agreement with Canada and Mexico, the United States has been following up with more and more treaties and laws of the continent. Trask has been said to be teamed up with the president and Congress. So far, they are debating getting rid of the judicial branch. Soon, those in Congress would be working to get rid of the president too."_

_Logan was quiet for a moment, thinking._

"_Just like that?" I asked dumbly. "They start with the Canadian government after they feel secure with the United States? They teaming up to form one government?"_

"_The legislative branches of all governments have been in control for years, raising their wages and increasing the wealth and pockets of those around them," Parker pointed out. "It's just coming together in a power play that might soon take control over all. I'm sure that Trask will put people in there that they like and those people will turn to them to solve the mutant problems. It's an equal give-and-take for all."_

"_When should we expect the start?" Logan asked, his thoughts hidden again behind the mask. "Where will you go?"_

_Park shrugged his shoulders, standing up as a whisper of snow whizzed by his ears from above. "I'm an old man. I may be wanted, but my life isn't worth that much anymore and hasn't been since my wife was killed. I've done what I needed to do, started a mess in the process and need to finish it. It may be the last time I see you all, but it won't be in vain."_

_A rumbling was soon heard outside. I jumped in fright, but Logan held me, to calm down my fears. However, I soon felt him shaking too and it wasn't from the cold either._

"_It'll be slow at first," Parker continued, sensing the same things we had. "They'll do a buck shot here and there, maybe send in a sniper when they're really desperate. As the months go by though, it'll get heavier. They'll send in more and more people, kidnap someone, maybe a kid or someone who doesn't mean much. But you'll suddenly wake up one morning and it'll be done. The place will be in ruins and everyone will be in chains."_

"_And the help you promised?" I asked, scared of the answer._

"_Nothing heard from him yet," Parker confirmed sadly. "So far as I can tell, he might have been captured with the rest of the ministers in Parliament."_

_Parker and Logan exchanged a look, the two knowing the person and not saying the name, in hopes that it would not incriminate them. Then, we all heard another rumbling noise, closer than the last. Now that it was closer, I could identify the sound. I had heard it many time before, when Leon was still alive, and could never forget it._

"_Tanks," Logan stated dully._

"_That was too quick," I added, looking at Parker._

"_They know you're here," Parker whispered, motioning that we stay quiet too. "Get out of here."_

"_And you?" Logan asked again._

"_I'll be fine," Parker reassured him, pushing him and me out physically. "Out! And do me a favor and live through this."_

_Logan and I didn't need to be told twice. We both went out the way we came, careful of the steps and holes in the floor. Towards the door, Logan picked me up mid-run and started moving quicker, getting us to the car and starting it up just as a tank rolled over the hill behind the house. Before I knew it, Logan was darting out of the way and driving down the road out of the property as an army of tanks started shooting at the house. The noise was enough to make me jump in my seat and get my heart beating faster in my throat, but I dared not look back._

_In seconds, we were on the main road and driving away, faster than the normal speed limit. Logan said nothing during the way out, but I sensed that he was upset in a way. It wasn't just seeing his childhood home. It was the warnings that Parker gave us and the sudden attack. It was suspicious in the worst way, like Parker led them here. And to what purpose? It could be that Parker is now dead, a man off of their list._

_After a while, nearing Alberta once more, I started talking. "You knew what this was about."_

"_No," Logan admitted, the word feeling like the truth. "I wish I did. Otherwise, I would not have come or brought you here. It was too dangerous."_

"_Are you telling me that Parker asked only for a meeting?" I asked, curious._

"_No details," Logan confirmed. "We both thought it was a location nobody could find yet. Nobody knew where I came from and everyone who did is now dead. But that wanted poster clued me into something. If they were so eager to find us and knew what happened to each of us, they would eventually discover us."_

_I said nothing more. Instead, I stared out the window, watching the scenery. I now saw it in a different light than earlier in the day. I was watching as what we knew and loved would be destroyed in a flurry of military tanks and fire._

_One of the Red Cross workers said it's now time for the lights to go out. The shots have increased and one went through a window, I heard. Everyone has to lay as flat as they can and stay there for the night except in emergencies. For the time being, I will close, but with a heavy heart. I don't know when I can write next, but it will hopefully say that we have been victorious and on the next step._


	37. Brasilia Prison XXVI

The river stretched out endlessly in front of Bobby, but he soon saw their location from his position on the boat. While the Amazon River was horrible to travel down, the Xingu River in comparison was calmer, but in an eerie way as he stared at the prison ahead. It revealed its creatures under a looser canopy of trees unlike the Amazon and the quiet seemed too much to handle. While radio contact had its perks other than simple human communication, Bobby found that it kept the uneasiness away and kept him focused on his façade. However, they were soon nearing Brasilia Prison XXVI, one of the worst places that Bobby had ever heard of and now was seeing as the truth.

While the other guards, as well as the managers of the boat, kept watch of their three prisoners as they rested, Kitty joined Bobby. Hiding her engagement ring under her uniform sleeve lest it attract more attention, she appeared confident and ready for some action, but as soon as she stood next to Bobby and saw what he did, her face turned white. Up on the hill ahead of them stood the prison, its walls a damp red and white. Even from that distance, they saw that they were weeping tears, most of them with red dots in the trail. Screams were heard on occasion, ones of mercy and pleading. The sounds of metal even made its way down the river, which made Bobby wonder if Magneto was feeling its pull the most.

Soon though, it was time to disembark and drive to the prison. Bobby and Kitty waited until Blink, Sunspot and Warpath were brought up from below deck and led them into the truck with those from the boat. As soon as they were secured, Roger and his man jumped into the front to drive, waiting impatiently for everyone else to join them. They did so unsuspiciously, but it took some time before the plank was secured and Roger drove through that and onto the pathway in front of them. He then drove up the hill to the prison, where the sounds became louder and soon drowned all other noise, making it the most ominous place.

Roger managed to get them into the premises without a problem and soon had to stop at the doors within seconds of entering through the thick iron gates. Before Bobby knew it, several more guards surrounded the truck, guns aims at their three imprisoned friends. Six came onto the truck without permission, two of each grabbing Blink, Sunspot and Warpath, and leading them away without question. Ororo, Matthew, Bobby, Kitty, Xavier, Magneto and Hank followed them, but they were stopped at the doors by what appeared to the head of the prison. His name tag said Lucas Porro.

"Halt," Porro ordered in English, soon giving other directions to his guards in what appeared to be Portuguese. Then, he turned back to the group. "You are not welcome here. Turn around and go back to your homes."

"We are assigned here, Sir," Roger chimed in, pushing himself forward to hand over his papers. As Porro read on, Roger continued. "Most of us have come a long way. Most of us came from New York, others from the border of the United States and Mexico. All of us have come in our dedication to ensure the safety of the human race and to bring prisoners to their rightful homes."

It was a good enough speech, Bobby thought, and one that might enforce the fake orders Roger had made up. However, Porro only had to look up and give them a negative answer, one that even Xavier would not have been able to reverse.

"I am sorry you have come all this way for nothing," Porro stated. "I have my orders as well. Nobody is allowed inside this building save for prisoners and those who are employed here already. All other outsiders must leave."

"Even if our orders were signed by the previous commanding officer –" Roger began.

"What about him?" Porro's eyes turned harsh, like Roger had invoked a name spoke reverence and respect. "What did he say?"

"Well, as you can see, the previous commanding officer signed that we were allowed to come here," Roger pointed out quietly, to make sure that Porro was not embarrassed in front of his men. "And here, on this last page, are the orders from him that confirmed that Katherine Pryde and Robert Drake were allowed to come with us and radio contact back to the border with details of their trip until arrival. They are here to interrogate a specific prisoner though, one that has also caught our interest, and to remain here until April, when we are to return."

Porro read further, folding the papers in half and handed them back to Roger. "I see."

Bobby did not want to see if the statement was positive or negative, but hoped that Roger was able to get them in. However, the way Porro's eyes stayed, the name they used and the official papers they brought might seem like nothing. It took a few minutes of deliberation from Porro and some of his other men in their own language, but soon, he nodded. He yelled more orders at his men and had the front doors opened for the group. Bobby would have said a quick prayer of thanksgiving, but he had no time or patience for it.

"It seems that you are allowed to stay here until April," Porro said, as if giving the orders himself. "Until then, I think you will find our accommodations lacking, but we are approving. The prisoners will be awaiting for you in an interrogation room. I will guarantee that you will be alone and never be bothered."

The words seemed to be reassuring, but Bobby did not find them so and only managed to follow the others inside. As they entered, the overwhelming details they saw from the outside were amplified on the inside. On this floor, where the prisoners were usually tagged and recorded, nobody was there for their welcome (Roger even told his man to stay put and watch the truck from here). However, the screams heard from the boat seemed to come up from the floors. Cold, cemented floors crept chills from the legs upwards and grey brick walls let it no light. Barred windows even surrounded them, but there was so much covering on them that even Bobby could not see out. But on the right, Porro led them to the only other door, opening up to two other doors. One was clearly labeled, in several languages (English among them) "Prisoners" and the other "Personnel" plainly. Porro led them through the "Prisoners" side on the left, walking down a flight of stairs.

The way down seemed the same as the entranceway (grey and depressing), Bobby thought. However, there was no way up, but down, where seemed to be more and more water coming in every direction, as he saw on each floor. Porro only went a floor below, pointing the group to a doorway marked "Interrogation". He opened the door with a key, revealing a hallway of closed interrogation rooms, no windows in either of them. He walked them down halfway down the hallway before opening another room on the right.

Allowing the group inside, he smiled. Standing in the doorway, he asked in general, "Who are we looking for specifically?"

"A man named Lucas Bishop," Magneto claimed. "We have some interest in his former activities. In addition, we need to confirm information from Camp X-Ray and the camp he was incarcerated in while in the United States."

Porro eyed them all carefully. "I will have him brought in. What shall you want to do with the mutants you picked up?"

"We believe them to be in league with Bishop," Magneto replied, much more confidently than Bobby thought he felt. "We believe that they helped him escape and bring much activity in the area north."

Porro nodded, leaving them in the interrogation room alone. At first, nobody spoke, afraid that they were being listened to. When Xavier shook his head, indicating that they were not being seen or listened to, everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Roger looked around again regardless, noting that they had no escape. There were no windows, just pure grey bricks holding them crowded in one room and one other door to bring the prisoners in, and he was feeling claustrophobic. He motioned to Xavier, mouthing that some people need to leave. Xavier smiled in agreement.

"I believe that it's getting too hot in here," Roger started, getting everyone's attention. "I need some people to handle Blink, Warpath and Sunspot and some of us to talk to Bishop."

"Split up?" Bobby seemed incredulous. "I thought we'd handle this as a team."

"With too many people in here already, I think we'd attract too much attention." Roger was annoyed with Bobby, but had a better idea on trying to keep the mistrust away. "We can meet up later and compare notes. In the meantime, Bobby, you, Storm, Hank, Matthew and Kitty can ask for another room so you can talk in privacy. The Professor, Magneto and I will stay here to talk to Bishop. Sound like a plan?"

"Seems a little crowded with the eight of us in one room," Kitty pointed out.

"But the more for three of them, the better," Matthew added. "I agree."

"As do I," Ororo said.

"I would say that we can split it up further, but having eight to a room makes sense," Hank put in. "I'm in."

Only Bobby and Kitty said nothing more, but all they can do was agree. They nodded, which made Roger's life so much easier. With that agreed though, he banged on the door to get a guard to come in. He spoke to him in halting Portuguese, saying that he needed these five people in a larger interrogation room to handle the three dangerous mutants that just came in. The guard liked the idea as well, taking the five out of the room and locking the door behind him. By then though, the other door on the far ended opened, revealing a mutant in chains. The person who led him in kicked him in the back, sending the black mutant to the floor on all fours. Laughing, the door was closed, but not before the three other mutants heard screams from other prisoners.

Roger assumed the black-skinned mutant to be Bishop. He stood up, revealing ragged clothing, dark eyes rimmed with red and an M above his eyebrow, just like Danielle. He smiled at them, knowing them by sight, and felt nothing more than relief. He even looked to Magneto with bright eyes, wanting to reach out for a greeting, but remembering who and where he was, did not.

"We must make this quick," Bishop announced quietly. "I have not heard much news outside of here lately, but we have heard that Trask has reared its ugly horns again."

"I have not heard anything," Roger replied coldly, aware that he was not receiving information as he should be. That bothered him the most always.

"Nobody really has," Bishop pointed out. "It's being done as quietly as possible. Ministers are being put up as hostages. Judges sitting in front of the pleading are now being forced to resign in order to reform governments. Queens and kings are forcing the slaughter of nations and premiers are hunting down the same people who supported him. Nobody has been safe these days, my friends, even you."

"What do you mean?" Magneto sounded alarmed.

Although struggling to keep standing, Xavier seemed much calmer. "I am sure our disguises will keep us well here."

"Surely," Bishop conceded. "However long you are here though, we must act as quickly as we can. Striking in the name of peace has never been so vital before."

"And if not a brotherhood of mutants, what do you call yourselves?" Magneto asked in curiosity. "We must stand together in order to keep mutantkind together as well."

"We are the Free Mutants," Bishop confirmed. "Our mission is the same as yours, our lives are in your hands just as yours are in ours. We will work together for a better tomorrow for everyone, not just mutants."

"A promising premise," Roger remarked sarcastically.

"One that people would stand by," Xavier observed realistically. "Anyone who stands against it would be find them on the wrong end of popular opinion."

"Yes," Bishop said. "We strive to keep mutants alive and aware of their…options when they come here or any other camp. We are also working on a mass escape. This, which I am hoping to have by late March or the beginning of April, would rise the rest of the continent and gather us in peace."

Xavier smiled. "So, tell me, Bishop, what other plans do you have?"

"What do you mean?" Bishop appeared confused and even shook his chains as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, it's simple," Xavier replied. "While most people have aimed for peace in this endeavor, there is always a sect that promises to bring the results in a more…violent manner. We must have your word that this will not happen and we would only use force as a defense."

"Of course," Bishop promised. "We would have it no other way."

Xavier seemed satisfied. "But how can we be assured that things will not end in disaster on the other side?"

"We cannot." Bishop seemed confident on that conviction. "There are so many outside forces now. However, down here, it is not as brutal as in the north. For prisoners, they are very cruel. Things do not go the way they plan, they kill you outright. In the north, they are cruel, deadly and would manipulate any political situation so that nobody an escape. They would torture you here in slower way than here."

"Sounds exciting." Roger was still sarcastic in his tone. "Ok, so when can we plan this escape of yours and get communicated with our people up north in Canada?"

"March, we shall take the next steps to see where we stand," Bishop promised. "For now, we are taking small ones. People are disappearing in our tunnels below even it is not flooded. We are trying to make sure it does not wash out, but it is difficult. The person who delivers our messages and equipment cannot move fast enough. It is not easy to find underwater gear."

Magneto smiled throughout the whole thing, also satisfied with the results. "So," he said, "we can be rest assured that we would have the forces needed to go back to the United State."

It was a statement, not a question, but it made everyone (except maybe Roger, the suspicious one always) feel more assertive too. It was one of hope, one that maybe had smashed any of Magneto's spare plans once and for all. But Xavier and Roger knew better. Someday, in the near future when everything was secure enough, Magneto would plan his next move too, one that would resurrect his Brotherhood, and bring down the humans. Then, the dance would begin again…and the two would be ready for it.


	38. The Beginning of All Things

Bobby was never pleased to be told what to do by someone who thought they knew better. Kitty always felt the same way, but that was beside the point. However, as he, Ororo, Matthew, Hank and Kitty made their way to the larger interrogation room provided for them, he found that he had a funny feeling inside of him. It wasn't from the irritation for sure, but he was actually looking forward to something past being ordered around. It had been an unpleasant ride for their friends, but Bobby was soon finding that he was looking forward to seeing them alone and without being watched.

Finally, at the end of the hallway, the group was led into their interrogation room. After the door was locked behind them, it took some time before they could see their friends come in from the other door on the far left. It took a few more for them to realize that they were alone and that they could be themselves, even for a short period of time. Kitty was the first to move, practically running to a tired Blink in the middle of the room and hugging her tightly. After that, it was relaxed conversation, albeit in whispers, amidst the screaming around them. It was more frightening at this end, being nearer to the torture chambers, but being together seemed to be the most important thing to the group at the time.

After some time passed, they had to separate and play the parts of prisoner and guard. Hank, as the oldest and seemingly the wisest, seemed to be more practical about it. He looked at the three who were chosen to be prisoners and sighed. This was not going to be a good conversation.

"What do you know so far?" he asked the three in general, hoping one of them would have something to report back.

"The guards can be easily bribed," Sunspot revealed. Blink nudged him in the shoulders with her elbow in annoyance. Her chains rattled as her arms dropped from their heaviness.

"Well, not _all_," Warpath corrected. "Some of them are used for outside messages and sometimes for supplies. But one must do something in exchange and sometimes, the price is high. I heard that there is one that does it for free, but I have yet to determine who that is and why."

"Find anyone yet we can rely on?" Matthew asked.

"Haven't been here long enough to determine that." Warpath was quiet for a minute. "The name of Bishop brings a good reaction though. It rings of hope and prosperity. Everyone seems to be behind him in everything."

"For us, you mean." Sunspot snorted. "We have yet to hear more, but I would assume it's because we're new and nobody trusts us."

"I wouldn't blame them," Blink added. "I would have done the same thing. _We_ have done the same thing."

"Being in close quarters brings out the worst in people," Hank observed. Ororo, who was next to him, nodded in agreement.

"And the best of people too, remember," Ororo argued, "but we need to know when and how we're getting out of here with Bishop and his people."

"That would take some time," Warpath protested.

"Yes, trust is always a long, dark road for them and us." Bobby was contemplating something, but looked to Hank and Ororo for some support for what he was about to say. "We've all been at each other's throats. We're supposed to be on the same side."

"Says the person who made some of those rumors stay," Matthew muttered. "You are right though. Let's put the past behind us and look forward."

"It'll be a clean slate," Kitty remarked, looking around her and motioning to the conditions they were in. "No more worrying, no more accusing. It's us against them now. Right?"

"Right," Matthew replied.

"What do we do now though?" Blink asked generally, looking to Hank. All the others did the same thing, as they did at the camps, making Hank the most responsible and the person to say the last word.

Hank was nervous though, conceding that things needed to change and it needed to begin with them. Nobody was going to work with them otherwise if they could not work as a team. He did not mind being made leader of this group and the final decision maker, but he did not realize how much of an impact he had on others from their days in the camp. While he was at the camp, he took most of the flak for all of the troublemaking and mischief and would have taken beatings for those young adults. It took a lot out of him, but he knew that, as the oldest, he had to look out for someone and win anything for their survival and a good future. Now, it was the same, except now, they _all_ needed to watch each other's backs or die.

"We wait," Hank said, making it sound final. "We will talk with the others and go from there. If nothing comes of it, we can leave whenever and meet up with the others in Canada. If there is something, we work with it and be as a team."

"It's nothing else than what we would ask of them too," Ororo added, smiling.

"And nothing I would make unfair," Hank argued. "Yes, it's true. We've been horrible to each other. There's been drama and division. However, if we stand together and play our parts well, we'll make it…and make it out alive. We should forgive and forget and hope to make a better tomorrow. It should all start with us."

A banging knock outside disturbed their interrogation. While it was too short always, Hank had to motion for all conversation to stop. He then opened the door, allowing the rest of the group out, and turned back to Blink, Sunspot and Warpath. He barked at the people outside to get them to their cells and left, but not without seeing Blink's reaction as he told the guards they received nothing yet. He saw some hope behind her eyes, but it was for a quick second. She had faith in him and it was a trusting gesture, one that he would keep close to his heart and always remind himself of daily.

Trust and hope were always enough, Hank figured, and it was the beginning of all things. As he closed the door behind him, eager to tell Xavier of this.

~00~

It had started slowly, Logan saw, and the compound was not quite uneasy yet, but it was getting there. Although a few shots had been fired in their general direction from the beginning, workers have ordered everyone to stay inside and away from the windows, which were blocked out by either plywood or material that was bullet resistant. Then, the facility became more secure, locked down and everyone counted, and nobody was allowed to go anywhere and were told to report any unusual activity at once. Finally, all entertainments seemed to cancel out and people were slowly getting on each other's nerves, unable to cope now that soldiers were at their doorsteps once more. It was no longer safe.

And everyone heard the news, or so Logan had been hearing everywhere and from his sources around him. The members of the Canadian Parliament and various ministers had been put up for hostages. When none of the mutants they wanted showed up or the humans they craved to imprison disappeared, they shot everyone one by one on national TV, setting them as the new examples of their power. Others were put in their places, but power was soon being transferred to those departments that took over to begin with. A puppet was soon in charge…and ordering a strike against all sympathetic mutant shelters to bring them all out.

It was a nervous time, Logan thought to himself, and everyday brought something new. As a dismal Thanksgiving passed and soon turned into a bitter Christmas and a colder January, supplies began to dwindle and everyone became dependent on themselves, naming desperate times calling for desperate measures. Less and less people depended on those working the shelter, which made unity worse. The director of the facility did the best he could to keep everyone together and succeeded in many ways, but the fear was still there, lurking in dark corners and grabbing at those who stared too long in the shadows.

Anything Parker had said to them, all that time ago, was soon coming true in too many different ways. Logan only had to peer in hiding holes all over the place to see the outside world and it was no longer pretty. They were closely being squeezed out and cornered. It won't be long before they would be captured too.

There were no longer any cigars to smoke, but Logan had other ways to cope, which almost made it worse for him. Even as he stayed with his family in their cubicle, unable to leave a sick Danielle even for a minute, he only had to dive into a new life to see that all would be well, even for a few minutes. But even that façade was slowly coming apart at the seams. When Logan saw a happy family life, he could not help but think that he could make it better for his children and felt helpless that he could do nothing. When he saw that others were soon preparing to go out there and meet the tanks slowly coming closer, he wanted to leave with them and make himself a defender of his family. He was too scared, able to see that Danielle was not doing well, that Mae could not assist her and that nobody could not take the time to help them now that danger was at their door.

A tug of war match played out in Logan's mind as blizzards surrounded them in the long January nights. He spent days trying to figure out what to do and nights in a sleepless stupor, but it was Danielle who put his mind to rest one night. They slept together as a family usually (Mae had gone to sleep with the other nurses), keeping the two younger ones between them while Rogue and Devon kept to themselves on the other side of the cubicle. One night, when Logan was still battling with himself, Danielle sleepily reached out and held his hand. Sometimes, it still disturbed Logan that he can exchange thoughts and feelings with Danielle, but he always felt comfort from her presence, even if she was upset.

_Go, Logan._ Danielle was trying to wake up, but she still knew Logan's struggles. _Go. I know how caught you are. Someone can always get you when I need you. You can't always stay here with us and be bored and not defend what you think is right._

Logan chose not to speak either, keeping everything in his mind. _You can't know that._

_I do though, Logan. It's in your blood. You can renounce violence and war all you want, but when it comes down to protecting who we are and ensuring our safety, you'd go. Do what you think is right. Do it for your sake as well as ours. I know you can come back to me._

_What if I can't?_

Danielle had to think about that for a minute, shifting to make herself comfortable as she tightened her grip on Logan's hand. _I'll know. That's something that we all have to deal with eventually though. When you were at war many years ago, you just had your brother and nobody to come home to. Now, there's something at our doors and you have a family to come home to. We can live without you if we have to. I've done it before and can do it again._

_They have tools they didn't even have in Vietnam._

_Again, I'll deal with it if it comes._

_Danielle –_

Immediately, Danielle reached over the children and put a finger to Logan's lips. "Shh," she gently whispered. "Don't worry about us. I've handled worse. There had been years without you, years that I never knew you existed and could complete me and years where you were wandering and I was alone. Now that you have stayed with me and feel the need to defend us, I have to learn that that piece of me might need to be killed. I would need to let it go…and so do you. But at this point, we need to trust each other. Nothing could be worse than this."

_Besides,_ Danielle continued between their minds, _I love you._

It was reassuring, Logan felt, but it still made him anxious to leave Danielle and the children. However, he did what he knew was right, not bothering to sleep for the rest of the night and watching as Danielle drifted back into a slumber. Just before there was any light outside, he slipped away from the cubicle, finding the nearest person in charge of the forces outside. He explained his situation and offered his military services and experience to the facility. He did not want anyone hurt, he continued to reason, and with his healing abilities, he could appoint a replacement and train them, but did not think it was necessary if there were few ways to kill him. He could come back anytime unless there was some technology that would make his mutant abilities null and void. By then, he would need to rely on his defense more than anything.

The man smiled and shook his head. "You seem to know the place more than most anyway. There should be a place for you on this ragtag militia anyway."

"Thank you." Logan never felt so grateful in his life, thanking Danielle inside for the nudge forward.

"But we'll get you when your wife has the baby," the man continued, clapping Logan on the shoulder. "Don't want you missing that."

It was still difficult to believe it, but Logan was caught almost unawares that people called Danielle his wife. Might as well be, he figured to himself, with everything going on, but she wasn't going to admit it otherwise, especially now. He didn't say anything afterward and nodded to the man he talked to, but waited until the man went to ask someone for a place for him. Before long, Logan was stationed outside and watching the horizon. He saw nothing more than tanks and some people, but that was about it. He spotted another man on a hill with a rifle too and was tempted to aim with his own weapon because of the threat he saw, but stopped himself, seeing no good angle.

What was he achieving by shooting someone else without a chance to get him? The sniper was doing nothing for the time being, perhaps waiting for a chance to shoot with an order. By then, Logan was sure he'd get a clearer shot himself. For now though, he was content in standing out here, enduring what he was meant to, being where he needed to be. For now, he was to stand on the edge and hope against everything that Parker was wrong and that this was only a test and one that they would be able to pass.

_It's a long shot in hell…_

But that was all Logan needed in the first place anyway.

* * *

**Many thanks to Crash22244 and hotbibl for everything. :)**


	39. Phantoms of Life and Death

It was a long winter and a slower spring in coming (which never seemed to come anyway). Jubilee the student stayed away from school for the past few months and worked from home always, watching the burnings from her window day after day. Ever since Mystique told her of the first, she had been drawn to the flames, like a moth without direction. She had eyed the red and orange shadows from her position at the table, always feeling the heat from so far away lick her from the neck up. She felt almost cleansed from it, but knew it to be one of death…and renewal as well, for her and the others.

However, now was not the time to contemplate that, it seemed. Mystique had been nervous this winter, always checking sources and still acting like her cover was her true identity, but that was soon changing. By the time March came, when everyone was talking wistfully of spring and the green fields, Jubilee was hearing whispers from the other mutants in Mystique's care. They were planning on leaving soon, they said, because the tension was getting on their nerves. The government in Russia was paying for mutants to be given to them, burned as examples of power. They were fearing assassination, they said, and would give more and more to the humans who would ensure their safety for a better government.

It was all rubbish to Jubilee, but that was the political situation these days. She could understand her roommates' worries, but she was sure that Mystique would figure something out. About the middle of the month she did make mention of moving, as Jubilee was trying to finish some advanced math class and submit as assessment. That seemed ok with her, since she was twenty-three and tired of schoolwork to begin with, but what Mystique was holding back was worse. As soon as she announced that they were moving on one night, except this time to Fuyuan, Jubilee could almost rejoice had she not seen the darkness conveyed in Mystique's golden eyes. As soon as everyone else cleared out, Jubilee stopped Mystique and asked what was wrong.

"You haven't told me much these days," Jubilee added, reminding Mystique that she still owed her information. "I know of the political tides here. What about overseas? What are we facing if we run through Russia?"

Mystique did not want to answer. For months, she had been trying to avoid telling everyone about what was happening. That was a difficult task she knew and one she did not relish, but she did owe Jubilee the truth. The girl had braved through many things to get to Russia and stay safe. However, Mystique did not want to get her involved with her latest assassination scheme, which would surely rock the governmental world in Russia. She then thought there was no reason to lie now. What was more bad news when the world was crumbling anyway?

"I don't know where to start," Mystique admitted, looking at Jubilee as she changed back into her male disguise. "The Human Majority is gaining more followers and are ruling the streets in many countries and, in most cases, taking them over. Russia has been falling apart for some time. Great Britain already killed as many mutants as they can, kidnapped the royal family and held Parliament responsible for the country now, all of them lining the Trask money pockets. Congress in the United States has already overthrown the president and the judges of the Supreme Court and declared themselves rulers. Canada has done the same, although they are evacuating all venues of escape and refuge. Spain, Portugal, France –"

"Wait, what about Canada?" Jubilee felt her stomach run flip-flops. "What happened there?"

"It appears that they are making an example too," Mystique explained, although she did not want to. "Right now, they are battling the last one, a Red Cross compound out in Alberta."

"Wait, didn't you say that it was where Rogue went?"

"As far as I can figure, yes. There is a list for the people residing there and it does say a twenty-two year old named Anne Marie is staying with a Mitchell family and Logan, also named Wolverine."

"So, they are there?" Jubilee seemed prematurely excited.

"Now for long," Mystique interrupted. "Tanks were seen there as early as November, all of them from the Human Majority, who took you into the lab. Snipers moved in by Christmas. Late January, there were more military people, with Human Majority and some Trask badges, seen trying to figure out a way to storm the area. Since then, there has been fire exchanged. Nobody except a few odd people were killed. Several have been injured. I would assume that the Red Cross would be smart enough to start getting people out."

"If they're surrounded, how can they?"

"Tunnels? Secrets trucks? How would I know?" Mystique sounded annoyed. "Right now, I am more concerned about you and the others getting out of here. You five are leaving at dawn in two days."

"What?" Jubilee was surprised. "You aren't coming with us?"

"Not yet," Mystique replied, not willing to reveal her plans yet. "I have some unfinished business in Moscow."

"Why there?" Jubilee would have thought Mystique was staying here and not heading back west. It didn't make sense.

_Unless…_

"Just as I told you," Mystique retorted, a tone that seemed to end the conversation. "It's some unfinished business. Nothing for you to be concerned about. Now, get packing. I need to transfer your school credits and get you to another school."

Jubilee did what she was told, but it did nothing to dispel her fears. She joined the person she shared a room with and started putting what remained of her clothes and books into a suitcase. However, this activity made her think. Mystique was part of Magneto's Brotherhood and was a known assassin and terrorist. Although she was housing mutants, being kind in sending them to safety, how much of it was an act? Did she use her good deeds to really disguise her activities? How much did the others known and did they care?

Feeling sick, Jubilee sat on the bed, putting her head to her knees. Suddenly, she did not care anymore. Suddenly, she just did not want to know anything.

~00~

It had taken some poking and prodding on the nurses' part (Mae included), but Logan was soon sitting in a rocking chair in a private room, holding his newborn son and studying him carefully. The darkness had started to take hold and it would soon be when a new shift would be outside and shooting when it was needed, but Logan did not want to think about that now. Strangely enough, his attention was on the new addition to the family…and how the hell he really needed to act in front of him. He was confused, but he was also falling slowly in love, just as he did with the other kids.

Logan did not like dwelling on the past these days and it hurt him to, but his mind wandered to earlier in the day, at about two in the morning, when Mae came running to see him. Of course, it had become more and more dangerous to be outside and only authorized people were allowed, but that never deterred Mae. She had been too used to the danger to care (Logan chalked that up with being with Roger for so many years), but there was something in her manner that said that her business was urgent. Logan had just finished a patrol and was about to assign another when Mae caught his attention, saying something like Danielle had started her labor, her water broke and something about being dilated fully. It was all nonsense to Logan (he even mixed up the order of the news in his mind), but he listened anyway.

Logan ordered some men in key locations around the premises before turning back to Mae. "And you need me to do _what_?" he asked her, annoyed that she was outside to begin with.

"Danielle didn't ask for you," Mae said carefully. "If you want to be with her though, that's up to you. She would appreciate it, I'm sure. I understand that you've been playing platoon commando here, but you can always give up your command to someone competent and come with me."

Logan had to concede that point. Ever since the lead colonel at the refuge had seen what Logan could do and what he was capable he, he had assigned Logan to the more dangerous missions and had given him command of a group of men, most of them mutants. Logan worked with what he had and was actually feeling better for it (he even felt he had earned from respect from his men), but he felt that he could not leave at the moment. His shift was over in three hours, giving him a power hour of sleep before the kids were up. Rogue and Devon, as well as Teller, Rankin and Peter, learned to disappear then, to avoid Logan and his foul moods.

"I'll check in when I'm done here," Logan said, the back of his mind saying he should do otherwise. "I don't have much time here anyway."

Mae said nothing, but bowed her head in agreement. She didn't argue, which surprised Logan, and left without saying a farewell. That too was strange. Logan shrugged his shoulders and finished his shift, deciding that he didn't need to sleep. However, when he went inside and to their cubicle, he saw that the kids were awake and had been for a while. Rogue, Devon and Peter were watching them and none of them appeared to be happy. Rogue even appeared to be a little worried.

"No news," she only said to Logan, which confused him. He knew the cycle with women, but it meant nothing to him, not until the day had passed and still there was nothing heard about Danielle.

During the day until he decided on action, Logan was in a worse mood and did not bother to keep it to himself, scaring the kids enough that they went to Teller in the next cubicle and ignored him and his growling. By the time he resolved to find out what was going on, it was bedtime for the kids (Rogue and Devon volunteering to stay with them), almost twenty-four hours since Danielle had disappeared and there was still nobody to tell him that his child was born. Something was wrong and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

It was easy to find the medical unit, but harder to find out where Danielle was. Logan had to ask a nurse where to find her after a while and was pointed to a room at the end of a long hallway. Logan followed the directions and did not even bother to knock when he came to the named doorway. He entered with hesitation and almost choked on the metallic smell of blood. He remembered it from over a year ago, but it wasn't as bad as it was then. No, this time, it was just pooled on the floor, and more was oozing out. It was dim in the room too and Logan would have thought that nobody was in there except seeing the group hurdled in a far corner consulting (not noticing Logan either) and the lone bed holding Danielle.

Logan almost did not recognize Danielle. She was naked from the waist down, her hair was loose and damp and her hands too weak to clench anything. She was hardly breathing, sweat only coming down her face, and was hardly strong enough to give birth in his eyes. It was clear that she wasn't going well, but one thing made Logan hope against the odds. There was a small blue and silver spark twinkling on her fingertips, a beckoning for help. It was the only life that Logan could see and the only hope that he saw. He knew that he could take her hand and she'd take some of his healing ability.

It might be Danielle's only chance, Logan figured. She might chose to die if he didn't.

Just as Logan reached over for Danielle's hand, Mae noticed him. She had been part of the group talking in the corner and had been the first to see him come in. Her face was one of shock and her hands waved in dismissal, trying to get Logan to leave.

"Logan, don't –" Mae began, but by then, it was too late. The blue and silver spark recognized Logan and took to his healing abilities, which almost sucked him dry of all power. But that did not matter to Logan, just as long as his family was safe.

Within the hour, their son was born. Mae told Logan that he was large, which contributed to part of the reason it took long for him to be born. Ten pounds, eight ounces and about twenty-three inches in length. Logan did not think it so big. He could fit his son into the crook of his arm comfortably, even if it was still awkward to him. The baby breathed contently for the last hour or so, sleeping peacefully and appearing in every way like a wrinkled alien. But Logan could not deny that this was not his son. The full dark hair and eyes and all other facial features were his. Even the most discontented looks on the baby's face was all his. That, most of all, was disturbing Logan.

Soon, Mae came over to Logan, noting how happy he was. "Isn't he adorable?" she asked him, sniffing in the scent of mucus and blood that seemed to addicting to women.

Logan said nothing, fully expecting Mae to gush on about how babies are cute, but was surprised when she didn't. He was too involved with the baby to even care that she was over his shoulders too. Odd, how the annoying things didn't matter anymore as they did before, he thought to himself. He was changing and he didn't know if it was for the better.

"Danielle is doing ok," Mae continued, aware that it was what Logan wanted to hear. "She's ready for the feeding."

"What?" Logan was confused.

"Newborn babies need to be fed about every two hours usually," Mae explained gently. "She's going to breastfeed him. I can take him from here."

Logan was reluctant to let the baby go. He gently handed the bundle over to Mae, but stroked the tiny hand one more time before letting go completely. When he did though, something unusual happened. Without warning, something popped out of the baby's knuckles. When both Mae and Logan looked closer, they saw that it was two bone claws, immediately retracting back into the knuckles and demonstrating that there was no lasting damage. The drop of blood that appeared even disappeared.

The two looked at each other for some minutes in horror before a complaining cry came from the baby's lips, hungry for food. Mae woke up from her reverie, shaking the shock from her face and walking away. Logan, on the other hand, continued to sit in the rocking chair, hand rubbing his chin. That, he saw, was now the most disturbing thing about the baby. A mutant at birth was not unusual, but one exactly like him was something he did not think the world could take.


	40. Faith

Danielle was tired and resting in her private room when Logan, Rogue, Devon and the kids visited her the next morning. She was feeding the baby at her breast and looked every bit content as she finished the feeding and put the baby to her chest to burp him. However, when she saw everyone crowd around the bed and talk all at once, she felt worse, weaker than she felt in some hours, and felt like melting right into the bed herself. She put up a smile to chase away the feelings though, aware that she had to make the best of these visits. Besides, she knew that everyone would love to see the baby, Rogue most of all.

It was too easy too. Rogue sat next to Danielle and immediately reached over, her hands gloved. When Danielle was sure that there was no gas bubbles and spit-up left, she handed the baby over to Rogue, who cooed and said adorable words that nobody could understand. She looked at Devon with doe eyes that asked for a baby too, but those weren't enough to soften him. Devon crossed his arms stubbornly and shook his head no, perhaps thinking that a little brother was enough and the world needed no more innocent children. Rogue shrugged her shoulders anyway, standing up with the baby and taking him to the corner rocking chair. From there, Devon, Michael and Riley followed, leaving Logan and Danielle alone.

Logan took Rogue's place on the bed and swung his legs over to sit down completely next to Danielle. He took her into his arms, watching the foursome in the corner with the new baby. Danielle kept her smile for them, but inside was already aching and wishing that she would never have to go through having another child again. She took comfort in what Logan could give her though and leaned over, her head resting on his shoulder.

"You know we need to name him, right?" she asked Logan, laughing as she did.

"I was thinking Daken," Logan admitted.

"_What_?" Danielle pulled her head up and looked at Logan. "What kind of name is Daken?"

Logan shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "It's Japanese. It means mongrel or, if used to insult someone, literally means 'bastard dog'. I picked that up when I was in a Japanese POW camp in World War II."

"I am _not_ naming our son that!" Danielle swatted Logan feebly on the chest. "It seems like an affront to him anyway."

"Well, he _is_ a mongrel," Logan pointed out baldly. "He's of mixed heritage and so are you, if I remember correctly. Besides, for all I care, you can name him whatever you want. I figured this would be a nickname."

Danielle calmed down a little, but still was not happy with the name. "Do you have any actual suggestions or do I need to think about this?"

"No. How about Christopher Thomas Mitchell?"

"I like it. You actually put some thought into names?"

"Somebody had to. When I'm out there, with nothing better to do, I thought of names. Besides, it's easier for the kids to go by your maiden name anyway."

"And what mutant abilities he might have? I just hope he didn't have my family's curse."

This was the moment Logan was waiting for. It presented itself too easily though and that was what made it harder. He didn't want to tell Danielle yet about what he and Mae accidentally discovered, but Danielle was going to find out sooner or later anyway. He needed to warn her too, prep her just in case she came upon it the same way they had the day before. And he knew how vulnerable she was at the moment and how freaked out she'll be if she found out on her own and he didn't tell her.

"I want to talk to you about that actually." Logan rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "Last night, your sister-in-law found out something about Daken."

Danielle did not like use of the new nickname, but was interested in what Logan had to say nonetheless, feeling dread in her heart. "Don't tell me he was born a mutant."

"He was." Logan only had to touch Danielle's hand to show her the scene from last night. That was enough to keep them quiet for some time.

When the group in the corner seemed to be bored with Daken (Michael and Riley tired of relaying their future evil schemes, Rogue done with feeling maternal and Devon scoffing), Danielle tried to close the conversation. "I was hoping we had some time. I mean, I shouldn't be surprised. My powers manifested when I was three and you were ten. I just can't believe that he's almost a replica of _you _though, even if we didn't have the ten years of preparation."

Logan didn't say anything for some time, but when everyone wanted to leave, he kissed Danielle on the forehead. "I didn't think either. I just hope he never has to go through the same things we've had to."

~00~

_**March 11, 2009**_

_I know it has been months since I've written and have hardly the time to say much or the place to even jot down anything. Amidst all of the turmoil outside (of which Logan has joined in on), the one of the only consolations I have is in the birth of our son, Christopher Thomas Mitchell, nicknamed Daken. He was born two nights ago, looking exactly like Logan and born a mutant, with the same abilities Logan has._

_I am too tired to write more. With Logan outside, I have been trying to keep everyone's spirits up. Tough now, since there is so much going on outside than meets the eye…_

~00~

It was late March already and soon to be colder, but Bobby did not care about the new changes in the weather. He was more concerned about leaving here than anything else. The months in preparation, from the escapes, gatherings and the march up, was a force he did not want to contend with, but was happy to be a part of. From the time they entered the prison in November to this moment, when all hell was about to be broken loose, was in preparation for the time they could meet their other team in Canada and present their peaceful demands. They needed to show support, force and defense. They had to be a team and stand united or fall.

For four months, Bobby could say that it was a boring life too, but that was not quite the truth. Every morning, he woke up next to Kitty in a bedroom just for them. He enjoyed her company more, seeing how she more confident she was and how less haughty she was when discussing her relationship with him. They talked well into the night about the things they needed to say to Rogue, amends that they should have started when at the camp and not far away in a place they never thought to be. They even talked of their future, if there was one, and how they planned on going back to the school (if there was one left) and settling there. They both wanted to teach and to reach out to those mutants who came in scared and lost, just as they had years before. Children of their own didn't seem to be a plan, but those they taught would be enough.

The others seemed about the same and holding their own in this horrible place, even the people they made into prisoners. The Professor, Hank McCoy and Magneto were assigned their own rooms with light duties usually, manning the outside defenses and clean-up, and always had a negative answer when asked if more people were joining them (Magneto disappointed most of all that Mystique did not answer his messages). It didn't seem so menial to them though. Even under disguise, they seemed to be chummy, friendlier to each other than even Bobby had ever seen them, and it seemed to go farther back than he realized. What was more unusual though was Ororo, Roger and Matthew joining them. It seemed to coincide with their philosophy to be better and more trusting to their team, but Bobby felt that there would always be discontentment and mistrust amongst them.

There were other things to think about too. Late into the hours one night, when Kitty was sleeping peacefully, Bobby thought of the people they left behind too, the people who went another way to bring more support from another side. He could hardly care less about the others (even he was tired of Logan calling him a kid like the others his age), but he thought of Rogue often enough. He remembered their first real kiss at his parents' house, the touch of her hands down his back…when his feelings changed so quickly when Kitty inched closer to him and he thought about how their relationship began so perfectly. He then pushed away images of Rogue's naked body away from his mind and curled closer to Kitty, inhaling her scent and wondering how soon she would be completely his.

But with that came worries about the plans too. Bobby often questioned them himself and found flaws, like in any other plan, and would wonder if it would work. The Free Mutants were a united front, mutants who only wished for equality, freedom and privacy for everyone. It wasn't too much to ask, Bobby reasoned, but everything seemed too convenient. Guards had been bribed, tunnels had been erected since before arrival and routines had been studied. Bishop had proposed a mass escape one night which had been immediately agreed to, when there wasn't too many people to watch them, and to disable everyone they could before leaving. Bobby and Kitty had been assigned to go into the lowest levels of the prison and turn off the mass mutant ability disabler, which only covered the levels where the mutants resided.

That was what Bobby was most afraid of, if he had to be honest with himself. After taking the months to explore the prison, he found that it was constantly flooding on orders, which risked the usage of tunnels. There was about six levels below the personnel one on top (excluding the interrogation hallway, which was a level above the prisoners), with large and open four rooms each and at least sixty or more mutants in each room. The lowest levels had been for the more troublesome mutants, allowing them to drown as they hung on chains by their ankles before Porro said to drain it out again. And the water kept rising with his word, some of the moisture reaching the others above too.

Bishop's words and deeds had been golden though, almost like a promise fulfilled after a long struggle, especially after seeing the bleak prison. Every step of the way, when they had to meet or work something out, he was there, finding solutions and even getting dirty with the rest of them. Bishop ordered tunnels to be reinforced, maneuvered people gathered together and raised spirits. His picture of the future seemed too depressing, Bobby thought, but it was accurate so far. There was almost none, they were told, except for kindred souls fighting against the dreaded robots now named Sentinels. It was a dark place, a cold place where mutants and humans were chained and the worst of humanity put in charge of robots that killed them all.

It was something Bobby was more than willing to fight for. For his future, as well as Kitty's, he had to stand and fight back.

The waiting was the toughest part though, even through the panic and despair they felt. Bobby was ticking down the days, and then the hours, until the end of March, the twenty-fifth to be exact, when their plan could be put into play. While Bobby did not know too many details, save for the mass escape, his and Kitty's involvement in the whole ordeal and their flight to the north, that had been enough to keep his youth an excuse for innocence. The less he knew, the more he could be held responsible for. The less he could be felt responsible for, the lighter the sentence perhaps. He remembered that the commander of the camp in Kansas took youth into consideration for the most part and was fair.

Then again, Bobby also knew that the man would not hesitate in killing innocent children either. He was no stranger to gravesides and dead bodies, that was for sure, and always made the other inmates work for their lives.

But what exactly was planned and who was doing what other than his individual actions, Bobby did not know. He trusted Bishop enough with his life though. He had been said to be a wonderful inspiration at the camp in Kansas, where Bobby had heard of his reputation through other people. Now, he was seeing it in action and it was comforting. There was always that hope they felt, but there was also something else. Bobby could not put his finger on it at first and soon was realizing what he was feeling.

It was faith. It was a blind one, but it was there nonetheless. He had much in himself and the others in order to see this succeed.

* * *

**The REAL Daken in the comics was an unfortunate product of his environment. The son of Logan and his Japanese wife Itsu, he had been ripped from his mother's womb and healed from the damage. Itsu had been murdered by the Winter Soldier on orders of Romulus, who had watched Daken from afar, from his adaption to his harassment for his mixed heritage. Finally, after the deaths of his adapted brother and parents through his own actions directly or indirectly, Daken is picked up by Romulus and goes into a sadistic life of crime and punishment since. My character of Daken, I am hoping to make like Logan. Again, I apologize for the liberties taken with the characters.**


	41. Damn Them All!

Roger Mortimer was a man of many suspicions and many shadows. However, his newest plan seemed to make his sixth sense tingle with dread.

For over four months, he had worked as a guard (without his powers mostly) at a prison which made him sicker than landing at the camp in Kansas. Granted, in some ways it was easier, like sympathetic guards who were really mutants in disguise and unmonitored hallways and rooms. However, he did not like how the place flooded from the bottom up and it took the word of Porro to drain it out; how mutants were left to drown, be tortured or even killed on a whim, just because they existed; or even when the dead eyes that greeted him each morning, when he was assigned roll call by their beds, or walked the corridors full of water. It was a horrible existence and one he hoped to never to be a part of again.

As he walked down the dark corridors of the prisoners' fifth level about two weeks before their departure, his boots swimming in water and getting deeper, Roger thought. He thought the plan was sound and straightforward. He liked how all of the mutants Bishop had met in the years he traveled (which had been in the millions since most people reach out for friends and family). He also liked how they all linked together to form a line to their freedom and to the peace they craved, to end the nomadic life his family despised. However, there was imperfection in the plans. He always thought to the dissatisfied people, those who wormed their way in or even those who thought of the profit. Any one of those kinds of people could betray them at any moment, which would mean the end of their mission.

Roger stopped in a corner where the last of the dead bodies swayed, trying to see out a blocked window. He was alone except with the spirits and felt that nobody would find him down there, especially in the dark corners of a prison without much in the way of light. However, he still felt that something was wrong and that this road would lead to something he wasn't going to expect or like. It was worse that his wife was not around, someone to give him reason. He missed Mae greatly, having not seen her since her departure to Canada, and have yet to hear one word from her. Roger was not a sentimental man by any stretch of the imagination, but was human enough to miss the family that he left behind, even his stepson, who was just a recluse and a pain in the ass when it came to socializing.

Everything had seemed too simple when they left, Roger mused too. It was to be a simple mission of asking for help and getting the peace they all deserved. It cost them enough already, he deduced. It cost them family and gained them drama. It cost them miles and gained them insanity. Indeed, this was a different type of insanity Roger was used to. Instead of springing everyone all at once, he had to patiently wait, month after month, as he cleaned the premises with the others, beat the prisoners as the other guards laughed and even grinned as they drowned slowly in the waters below. It started shredding what was left of his humanity into pieces, but also reminded him that it was they who hurt mutants, not him, who had spied on everyone and used any means possible to make their lives better.

A voice soon brought Roger back to reality. "Do you need anything?"

Roger looked up, seeing Bishop before him. "No. No. I was only thinking."

"We've done a lot of that in the last few months, some of us for years."

"I agree. However, I am starting to doubt what we have."

"What do you mean?" Bishop was confused.

"Well, it's simple, for me anyway," Roger explained. "As a man who always used information as currency and as means to blackmail anyone I wanted, I see the situation as too wide. Too many people know the truth, which means that someone is leaking it somewhere."

"But I've had none of that!"

"You might not, but people are quiet and sneaky."

"Just like you." Bishop grinned.

"I would have to agree." Roger smiled too. "However, I am not so sure of the people you've gathered. I am sure that there are a few that are…unhappy with this mission."

"Even without you, we would have marched," Bishop clarified. "I could have handled a few disgruntled people. However, your presence has made this a mission more supported than ever before. Strange too that the word of Magneto was too great and he too interested in what we were planning. I thought him bizarre to be interested in a group that promoted peace for all and not his of a mutant nation."

"Yeah, well, we cannot always be an egotistical asshole."

Bishop soon changed the topic. "Do you feel confident that your people can handle their jobs?"

Roger nodded. "Nobody knows much about the plan except their part of it and the end result, to ensure that nobody was totally responsible."

Bishop liked that, but soon turned around quickly when he heard a noise behind them. When he found out that it was only a body slipping off of its ropes and splashing into a watery grave, he relaxed. However, he knew, as well as Roger, that they didn't have much time.

"Who knows the whole plan?" Bishop had to ask.

"The Professor, Magneto, Hank and myself," Roger revealed. "We thought ourselves the most likely to take the blame. Hell, my man does not even know. Matthew chose not to know so he could be the scapegoat and make up the details if they got to him. Storm chose not to for the same reasons. Bobby and Kitty…well, it was easier that way."

"The two younger ones have a lot to live for," Bishop observed.

_You don't know the half of it. _Roger had to smile through his aggravation.

"I would say so," Roger replied politely instead, to not get into the topic of the other two lovebirds he was annoyed with. "However, we have more important details to work out. What are we doing with Porro, for one thing? His guards outside his office?"

Bishop waved his hand. "I will have people disable them once the device below has been turned off. The guards would be more interested in the device turning off than anything else. The population of mutants here outweigh the guards anyway."

"Have you considered how weak some of them are?"

"They will be carried by their fellow man."

"It might slow us down."

"Yes, but with the people on the other side, numbers will bring force. We shall find places for them to rest when we are on our way."

Roger did not like the idea. Bishop had put so much trust into the people outside the prison and that did not seem right. He has a few people going in and out in lieu of him, but he did not know how trustworthy they are or the people they see either. Bishop was too compassionate and caring. He had a heart and knew when and where to use it. However, he was going into a blind situation, worse than Roger even realized.

"So, this is all depends on Bobby and Kitty?" Roger asked, feeling weak as he did. "And then, we must have to wait for Storm and Matthew to break into the escape tunnels from the personnel level and allow us out?"

"Yes," Bishop confirmed. "The younger ones are supposed to be walking the lower levels the night we are to leave, but the other two would be too lost in the confusion for anyone to notice where they're going. At the time the switch is pulled, an alarm will be sounded. At that point, we will be at the ready to take the guards' places. We would go from one level to another and you and your friends would infiltrate the personnel rooms and reach the prison commander. As soon as we know that everything is secured, we will escape through the tunnels."

"When will those be drained?" Roger knew it would take a while before the sixth level was taken care of, but some days before the tunnels would dry out.

"About a week before." Bishop seemed sure nobody would use the water then. "However, we must be quick. It will take three days for the water to recede and another four to ensure we will not be stuck in mud."

"I take it the week we're leaving is the week Porro isn't going to drown anyone?"

"No, there is a new tool used to kill us. The commander has gladly released to some of our people that he is getting too bored with the water. He wants to try out some devices he is receiving in a shipment."

"Does anyone know what they are?"

"No. Nobody has any idea. We shall see though. I hope that it will not interfere with our performance for when we are leaving."

This piece of news wasn't helpful either. Roger was scared for the first time in a long time, almost itching to slam Bishop back into reality. But Bishop did not seem too worried about what Porro would bring to him and the mutants around him. What Roger saw was another opportunity for discriminating humans to break a mutant's spirit. Bishop could only do so much for someone before they completely give up. He saw another break in their plans of leaving and another way to Porro to pull things over their heads.

Roger put his hand on Bishop's shoulder. "I hope you are right too, my friend. I am not feeling the same way you are. I have spent countless years watching people and have always learned to not trust human or mutant nature."

Bishop put his hand over Roger's. "I understand. But this mission of yours is never something you do in vain. Perhaps this is just another step in the process. We need to make this future safe for us as well as our children."

Roger bit down a remark about only having a stepson that never cared about the outside world and would rather live with his mother than have a life. He understood what Bishop meant though. The world had to be safe for everyone and not just for them. Their actions were not selfish and were meant to help everyone. But everything was set to rights, when people realized that mutants wanted to live in harmony, where would they be? Would things be the same or would people see that they were no different?

Roger remembered a time when people left mutants alone. From 1962 onward, ever since the Cuban Missile Crises, they had been a target of fascination and hatred. Nobody really thought about it, but rumors flew everywhere about it, especially in light of the turbulent sixties. That was about the time that Roger was recruited by the Professor and Magneto to join their group with the CIA, which had started his connections as well as his group of men working from then onward. After the incident on the beach, he went with Xavier to the mansion, helping to build his reputation as well as the school, only to see it all shut down for over a decade before Xavier picked up the pieces of his life again. It was a nightmarish time, Roger remembered, but he did not see any real changes for mutants until 1973. That was when things started to pick up and he thought his operation was essential to keep alive, like the school.

Even with Magneto escaping (which wasn't really big news since his trial was so secret anyway), one assassination happened that made it all worse. That one event in Paris changed everything. Roger did not even know about it until it was plastered all over the news. Mystique had done the impossible, following Bolivar Trask to France and assassinating him while he sat to discuss his company with the Vietnamese. He and Hank managed to get the three networks plus PBS to get the details, watching in horror as everything unfolded in black and white and seeing that the creature of Magneto had been born in fire and blood. By then though, when they thought of a plan, Mystique had been captured and they couldn't do a damned thing to rescue her and bring her home. That had hurt Xavier the most.

Nothing will be the same, Roger reasoned. If everything went back to the way it was, with mutants living on their own and in harmony, there would still be hate…and they would still be fighting it.

_Damn the Human Majority. Damn the Christian groups that threw us out, spat on us and controlled a nation. Damn them all!_

"When will we know when to act?" Roger asked, seeing that his time was almost running out.

"Just listen for the alarm," Bishop replied again, pushing away from Roger. "You will head to the personnel end of the building and ensure the team will do its job."

_That doesn't sound so reassuring._ Roger nodded, wishing that Bishop's words made his faith a little more tangent. He didn't want to add anything more, but watched as Bishop disappeared down the room, splashing water to one side to show his innocence.

Roger had to keep moving though, to keep his cover and not get Bishop (or himself) in trouble. He was sure nobody saw them together, but could not count for missed time if he was late for meeting his replacement on the next level up. Taking his cues from the hazy light above to lead the way up, Roger walked through the water once more, finding the stairs to the fourth level and checking his identity with the guard midway up. As he went up though, he could only think of one thing.

_I thought Logan was tough to work with. If I had the chance the change this before leaving, I would have gone with him to the north, fucked my wife when it was cold and damned them all here…_


	42. Hours of Reckoning

The night seemed to drag on forever and the hour of their leaving was slow in coming. The past week passed relatively quiet and quickly, but it was enough to be nervous. Porro had indeed ordered the water drained from the lower levels, but he also was playing with his new toys, as Bobby heard, and some forty-two mutants had disappeared. No mutant that went into the chamber next to the interrogation rooms ever came out. These new so-called rumors amongst the others lowered morale. Bishop did his best to get plans moving and getting everyone excited about leaving, but the new screams of death did nothing to dispel their nervousness. It seemed louder than usual…

Bobby and Kitty were on the first level for hours during their long shift of the week, joking with the other guards like they normally did. Time ticked a little faster, but Bobby kept checking the clock on the wall, the one that told them their shift was changing and they would be doing the other floors. Kitty did too, although she sighed every so often, her feet fidgeting and wanting to walk. The head guard of the floor laughed at them both, not realizing why they were acting the way they were.

"Hot date?" he asked Bobby around six in the evening, his voice taunting. Bobby found the man insufferable and his sarcasm worse than Roger's. His only consoling thought was that he might never see the asshole again.

Bobby turned to face him, conveying indifference. "Yeah. We've got one in an hour."

"Oohh, middle of the shift fuck!" The man laughed, walking away with the others. It left Bobby and Kitty alone to think. Kitty looked at Bobby, wondering if they should leave now.

"We need to patrol downstairs soon anyway," Bobby reminded Kitty, offering his arm to walk her to the stairwell that led downstairs. "We might as well go until the end of the shift."

The walk was supposed to calm their nerves, but it made everything worse. It only reminded them both of the horrors they had to witness everyday for the last four months. Bobby nudged Kitty and released himself from her grip, reminding her to bear it up with as much dignity as possible, and that soothed her a little. Normally, Commander Porro did not assigned Kitty to the lower levels because of the fear she feigned (some of it was frank, Bobby knew), but tonight was different. That night, they were going to bust out of their prison and hope to God that the group up north had some progress.

On their way down, Bobby and Kitty encountered Bishop. He kept his cover and lowered his eyes and the two scoffed at him. It was normal, they felt, and they continued to ignore him as they moved on. It would be soon when they would see him again. Bobby thought it best to keep that up until the time the prison was secured and they were escaping. One more hour meant that they alone would be on the first level. That meant that they alone would be to blame for what was coming next.

"Do you think that the Commander Porro would know it was us?"

Kitty's voice woke Bobby from his reverie. He shook his head clear, shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

"I would guess so," Bobby replied carefully. "However, I was told that people would be nearby to secure everything in the event of an emergency. We won't be alone."

Bobby chose his words carefully. Although amongst mutants and friends, he knew that the other guards lurked in corners. He would not be surprised to see one of them spying on him and Kitty. It had happened before, about two months ago, when they wanted to test some theories out. When pictures came up of him kissing her behind a post, he knew that he was not only the easiest targets for pranks, but also being watched constantly.

"Do you need…you know…they'd be there?" Kitty then asked him, unsure of how else to ask the question.

"I honestly believe they'd back us up, no matter what," Bobby answered confidently. He then looked his at his wrist watch. "Hey, ten minutes until seven. Want to head back up while we still have the time to make up excuses?"

"Sure." Kitty seemed relieved through her cheerfulness and followed Bobby back upstairs.

As soon as the appointed hour struck, they were already back on the first level. The mutants on that floor stretched and yawned, ignoring what Bobby and Kitty were up to, and proceeded to think about the last hour before the lights went out. Bobby hurried through the exhausted bodies and soon was before a door in the corner where the guards normally stood, but none stood there except for them. Nobody spoke of this unlocked door. It was almost like a closet, a separate little forbidden room that everyone walked past and never asked about. It was there that Bobby knew the switch was, one that would disable the shield blocking everyone from using their powers.

Bobby looked to Kitty. The latter made a few rounds on the floor, to make sure that they were alone (save for the prisoners to be running with them), and was soon back in about five minutes, winking. They were getting late, Bobby knew, and Roger would wonder what the hell happened to them and if they lost their nerves. He took a deep breath, gripping Kitty's hand one last time before going inside, seeing the glass-encased switch shine before his eyes.

Quickly and without hesitation, Bobby took his gun and broke the glass. Reaching inside, he pulled the handle and turned to run.

~00~

It was already a long road back west, but Mystique somehow did not mind the train. This time, with a few targets in mind and her identity protecting her from many things (the police included), she felt that she was safe. She was on her way to Moscow, she had the warm scent of blood on her hands and she was furthering a cause she held so dear to her heart. It was simple that Mystique was feeling that she was going to be knocking out more birds with one stone.

_It would be something Erik would be proud of. Too bad he's with Charles right now._

Oh, she had received a word or two from Magneto since their departure to the United States, but never from Xavier. Ever since she left him on the beach, Xavier had hardly spoke a word to her, send a message or phoned her. She had been unreachable to him, unable to handle the events they faced together and the different paths they decided to walk alone. But Magneto…he had been kind, she supposed, and always informed her of the things they've done since he departed from Russia. The last message told her that they were seeking Bishop and would want her to come along. The last two told her of their progress to Brazil and nothing more.

The loss of Magneto was heavy at heart and tragic in many ways, but Mystique learned to cope without him and had for many years. She would need to walk this particular road alone anyway.

As the train neared Moscow, the future events unfolded easily in Mystique's mind, although those never worked in reality. The plan was unpretentious though. The men on the assassination list were named Kirill Sliva the president and Leonid Wolsky the puppetmaster. The two had been encouraging the changes in Russia that would destroy mutants and have been agreeing with everything the European Union has been ordering. Worse, they have used old Soviet Union camps and buildings to make life hell for the mutants and those who carried the gene. Screening and DNA testing had been a recent thing, but what Mystique was pissed off the most about was the records they kept. Worldwide since 1989, mutants found and imprisoned had their DNA stored in a database and given to all world leaders. Since then, these records were used in all countries to track everyone down and decimate them and their families.

This included many people, Mystique found out as she worked in Tomsk's lab. The records included the most prominent mutants, people she worked with, people she fought against and people who were now dead. Wanted posters in al languages were plastered with the stored information, all of them portraying mutants and humans. When she came across one that asked for the return of her, Magneto and many others, she ripped it to shreds. She was so angry she almost lost her cover and destroyed those DNA samples, but she could not make herself do it. Not yet anyway.

In the meantime, Sliva and Wolsky were planning a meeting between their cabinet and some people who were awarded for their good behavior on the mutant issue in the country. Mystique, as the man from Tomsk who worked in the lab processing mutants and their information, was commended and was being sent to Moscow by her superiors. It was with this disguise, as well as her papers, that were getting her in. The rest of all pure skill.

The train soon stopped and Moscow was announced. Mystique left her seat and walked out into the cold air, minding her step on the platform. Grabbing her luggage from another car (which included her new identity paperwork as well), she hailed a taxi and directed her driver to the hotel. She spend the ride looking out the window and watching the streets come alive, even on a freezing day like today, and did not even notice that she arrived at her destination until it was told to her. She smiled, paying for the fare, and disembarked, waiting for the driver to get out of sight. She then walked around the block to another hotel, paid for a room with cash, and took the keys. She went into her room and unpacked a little, but she always made sure to _never_ allow herself the luxury of showing her true self to another.

_Erik always told me it wasted my energy if I was never naked blue. I keep it on here as a way to stay safe._

In the late afternoon, Mystique looked at the clock, seeing that it was about five, and started to get showered and dressed. The meeting was at six on the dot, with dinner and dessert to be shared before the meeting commenced until the early hours of the morning. Of course, Mystique did not plan for them to be alive when the clock struck midnight, but she sure as hell was going to do the best she could to keep focused, study more of their weaknesses and strike harder than she ever did in her life.

For Mystique, everything depended on this moment. From Kennedy to Trask and everything in-between, Mystique had been there to carry out the heavy burden of ridding the world of their mistakes. There would be more of course, but that was no matter to her now. What mattered now was Sliva and Wolsky. Those two were top on her list.

Mystique soon was dressed and out the door, hailing another taxi to go to the Kremlin, where the meeting was. She flashed her invitation and ID card at the gates and was escorted to the Senate Building. The white and yellow building shone in the brightest lights and the guards at the doors of the president's residence moved aside for Mystique to enter as soon as she showed her ID again. She also allowed herself to be checked for other unauthorized things (her gun hidden in a spot nobody managed to find) and was soon allowed to enter the building, directed to where the dinner was.

There wasn't much to the meeting, Mystique soon learned. Dinner was full of wine, more wine and even _more_ wine…and plenty more vodka. She watched as the other easily got drunk as they ate, their manners too easy and casual. In the meantime, she sat there and sipped her glass of wine slowly, emulating the others and managing her alcohol intake carefully. Sliva was still drunker than most of the attendees, laughing at everything Wolsky said and telling all present that he was a godsend to Russia. The others who came were still too high in spirits to even know what Mystique was doing anyway, much less what else she was planning.

Granted, the guards outside were something Mystique expected, but not in the numbers the Kremlin normally did not have. They did not have them inside the room though and only had cameras in the corners, recording their movements. That made the attempt a little more difficult, but nothing was impossible for the woman of many faces. She continued to study Sliva and Wolsky, raising toast after toast when it was asked and drinking one shot of vodka after another when dinner was over and nobody asked for dessert.

Of course, the meeting was in shambles and the participants too drunk to talk about the country's woes and victories. This gave Mystique a chance, but it was very slim. Carefully, she pulled out the gun and hid it under the table, almost having it folded into her pants on her lap. She then looked up quickly enough to see Wolsky staring at her. It wasn't the one of customary kindness either. He was onto something and it wasn't good.

"Anything you…you'd like to share with us, comrade?" Wolsky asked Mystique, his suspicions worse with his drinking. Worst of all was his usage of the old Soviet Union language, which had been dismissed from their vocabulary for a long time.

"Nothing," Mystique replied, feeling her thin smile from the disguise show Wolsky an innocent air. "I don't have much to share, since this doesn't seem like one of business to me."

"Why should it always be?" Sliva then asked, seeing the frown on Wolsky's face. "We are Russians. We are here to embody the spirit of one."

"Yes, I agree," Mystique said, treading on eggshells, yet seeing her opportunity. "Although I must confess…some have a more patriotic and morale reason to be here."

Before any one of them could respond, Mystique quickly had her gun out, aiming first for Wolsky's temple and then to Sliva. Wolsky did not see what was coming and immediately was dead, dropping to the floor. Sliva moved at the last minute and was only shot in the shoulder, but he managed to start shouting out for help. He ran to the doors, banging on the thick bronze set, asking for someone to come in and rescue him, that Wolsky had been murdered in cold blood and that he was soon to be next.

There had been six others in the room, all of them still too sloshed to realize what was happening until it was too late. Thinking that she did not need witnesses still, Mystique quickly took shots at each of them, first to disable and then to kill. Each time, she dodged each assailant in their drunken movements, weaving quickly though the long table and chairs to take her aim and finish them off. Finally, after two minutes of this, she saw that Sliva was the only one standing…and that his pleads for help were bringing in reinforcements.

Footsteps were heard down the hall, stomping a rhyme that Mystique knew well. Running around the table and sliding on blood, she quickly grabbed Sliva by his long greying hair and dragged him towards the others, dead bodies that were soon making a bigger mess than their Romanov massacre ever was. She soon had Sliva in a kneeling position, counting the seconds in which she would need to leave and assume her new identity, and putting the gun to his head.

"Say your prayers, comrade," Mystique ordered unmercifully. "I have none for you tonight."

"Please," Sliva begged. "Please don't kill me. I –"

The end came anyway. Security footage saw the strange man exit through a window after the final execution, disappearing into the shadows as glass shattered everywhere. However, what was stranger was that a woman exited the Kremlin some time later, a scared homeless woman caught in the action and sent on her way to a hotel. It was not uncommon, the guards figured, but they questioned her nonetheless and received shrugs and sighs. She knew nothing of the killings, was told to keep her silence with some money, and was sent away, asked to leave Moscow as soon as possible.


	43. It's a Trap!

The late March chill was bitter and was getting no better, Logan thought. He sat on top of a newly-built guard tower amongst the wind, watching the hills cautiously and noting how much closer the people outside the fence were. He had men stationed around the fence to do that for him anyway, but he found that he could see farther than they did and had the advantage of a higher view. However, this did nothing to dispel his uneasiness. He finally saw something that identified the people surrounding them, something he could not place when he rescued Danielle from that prison all those months before.

It was the Human Majority. In line with Trask, they always liked handling the toughest mutants in order to complete Trask's experiments and used their extreme Christian view as an excuse to do so. He remembered what Danielle told him about them some years before, that they thought that mutants deserved disease and that it was also God's curse for mutant integration with the humans. He did not recognize them from the year before and should have betted on them kicking around, even after Bob Bell had died a couple of years before, supposedly by a mutant. The Human Majority was best known for their church meetings, protests and picketing, like the Westboro Baptist Church, and always loved to pick a good fight, especially when it came to mutants. The Human Majority having military grade equipment meant one things and one thing alone.

_This ain't gonna end well._

Immediately, Logan went down the ladder of the tower and met up with Devon on the bottom. Recently, the nearly nineteen-year-old was recruited since they needed more people eighteen and over on lookout outside and he seemed to be in his glory doing the job anyway. It was a great opportunity for him to grow and experience something other than his family (as well as getting another chance to be a pain in the ass to Logan). Logan always saw it as a way for him to reenact his revenge, but he kept his opinion to himself. He was sure Danielle felt the same way too, but he knew that she would say nothing and would nothing do to rein him in.

"You see what I see?" Logan asked Devon, giving him a pair of binoculars and pointing in the direction he was previously looking at.

Devon put his now-completed walking stick down and peered through the glassware and then put them down. "I don't recognize most of the badges. I know the Trask ones though."

"The Human Majority." Logan said it as if it were the most dreaded plague. "I didn't think of them until now. Same people who took your mother."

Rage blazed in Devon's eyes. "They won't get away with it this time."

"No," Logan had to concede, "but we also have to think of what we're doing too. They're the one who are gaining ground. We don't have much of a chance."

"We'll go down fighting."

Logan couldn't argue with that either.

"We might never stand a chance with them over on that one side and possibly watching the other," Devon continued. "Mutants usually don't have a way to live peacefully. But don't you think we should form a line, think of a plan, _something_? We can't just stand here and not do anything. A lot of us have people in there we need to live for."

Again, Logan didn't have an argument for what Devon said. _And if Devon dies, I don't think Danielle would forgive me. Neither would Rogue._

"What do you have in mind?" Logan asked him, trying to open his mind up and take suggestions and not give orders blindly.

"Well, we're in some sort of valley and don't have much of an advantage," Devon replied. "However, we've got trees and towers that are about level with those outside."

"We have ammo, kid, but not anything that would take out those tanks," Logan argued, this time to point out reality. "Most of us don't have the ability to make those disappear."

Devon only grinned, seeing things that Logan wasn't. "And I have the ability to make the earth tremble. Tell me again how we can't handle the tanks?"

Logan was about to say something, but thought better of it. He closed his mouth, thinking this through. Devon _did_ have the ability to make earthquakes and take out the tanks and it could be set to any area he wanted it to. However, he also saw numbers Devon did not. Anyone who made it out alive might have the chance to make war on them now that they made a definite move. They could now say that the mutants have struck when they were executing their orders. After all, the group outside the fence never offered them a fight, just a few stray bullets here and there.

The rough plan had some substance though. Logan could not dispute that there was some chance they would be able to drive them away. Psychological warfare might begin though. That would be worse than any physical action.

"Let's talk with the other men," Logan decided. "The colonel will have the final say, but I'm sure the basic idea will be used."

Encouragement was good to Devon. The smile Logan received was one of confident. The rage was almost gone, Logan saw, but it was still there. Devon was not going back on revenge, just as Logan did so many years before. He knew that too well.

~00~

The alarm that buzzed in Roger's ears was low at first, but it soon grew louder and more obnoxious. It reached the personnel floor within five minutes of it being pulled, mobilizing everyone he saw, almost like a military parade. While he alone out of their group was down the hallway and nearby his room shared with Hank, he still could not help but jump and get in the same spirit as the others. He feigned knowledge of procedure and not of why, turning to another person as he was running and asking what the noise was all about.

"Mutants must have gotten into the closet on the first level," the other guard said, seeing that Roger was ignorant of the reasons. "The guards must have been busy and had their back turned. It'll be an easy fix."

"What do you mean?" Roger was curious, his heart racing with his legs.

"Commander Porro always has a backup plan," the guard replied, grinning. "He should be back in his office soon and reverse everything."

Roger stopped, shocked. _Nobody knew about that. Bishop only knew of the switch on the first level._

"Wait, what are you doing?" The guard stopped too, seeing Roger suddenly sprint in the opposite direction, towards the personnel rooms and offices. "Where are you going?"

"Commander Porro," Roger answered swiftly, trying not to look suspicious. "He might need some help."

"Don't –" the guard began before Roger went through a side door leading to Porro's office and cut his warning short.

As he ran down the hallway, Roger thought about this new piece of information. That was not what he was afraid of though. No, he saw this as a clink in their well-laid armor, something that would ultimately wear them down and break them apart. Porro reversing the switch would have some very serious consequences. Without everyone having their mutant powers, he saw no point in them trying to escape. Their sheer force was their powers, to give them confidence and power. Without them, Roger thought them doomed. Yet, he did not seem to lose all hope.

Slowing down and trying to catch his breath, Roger found Porro's office door and leaned on it. Once again, he felt his age and damned how old he was getting before feeling his adrenaline run down. Then, he tried pressing his ear to the door, to see if there was something going on behind it. Nothing, he heard, but the sirens seemed to be getting louder. Porro would have heard them by now and acted, waiting to see the end results of his work.

Calmly, Roger knocked on the door, as if he were still a guard working for Porro. He heard no confirmation to enter, so he knocked again. Once more, there was no answer. Roger shrugged his shoulders and opened the door anyway, slowly at first to ensure there were no traps or that he was unwelcome. He saw nothing except a dark room, so he walked in carefully and shut the door behind him. However, he received a surprise when he heard Xavier in his head.

_Turn around, Firebird. It's a trap!_

Roger immediately went for the doorknob, but was soon blinded by the lights suddenly turned on. He instinctively whirled around and faced those who wanted to harm him, but only saw Porro at his desk. Chuckling, his hands waved over to a corner of the room. Roger looked over quickly in the direction Porro asked him to, seeing Xavier, Magneto and Hank in chairs, tied and gagged. His glance then went back to Porro, who only opened a drawer at his desk and pressed something in there. Porro closed the drawer and then returned Roger's glimpse, folding his hands together before his face.

"Can I help you?" Porro asked Roger, tangling his fingers against each other.

"I was wondering the same thing," Roger replied, trying to keep his voice calm between the siren and part of the team being caught, although the former was quieting down little by little. "I heard the alarm and was concerned about you."

"I wouldn't think so." Porro stood up, fingers still together. "You see, Roger Mortimer, you are a man of many abilities. Unfortunately, one of them was trusting the wrong people."

Roger shrugged his shoulders, dropping his gun and showing that he was unarmed by raising his arms. "You got me on that. The gig is up. What do you want?"

"No, you see, I was curious what _you_ wanted," Porro admitted, seeing that he too needed to be honest. "You come in here with false paperwork, partake from our hospitality and even played along a part I could not understand. You allowed people you've rescued to be prisoners and endure what you could not. You _dared_ to bring wanted people in here, disguised as you all were, and attempt a mass escape from this prison and into the unknown. But you see what I must do, right?"

Roger had no qualms about Porro's job. He wasn't going down without a fight though. All he needed was a little more time…

"I always see what people need to do," Roger said carefully, circling the desk as Porro did to him. They soon faced each other, with the three mutants behind Roger and Porro having nothing but a wall to cover his back. "It doesn't mean I have to like it."

"You have yet to answer my question," Porro pointed out, pulling out his gun and pointing it at Roger's chest. "What are you doing here?"

Roger raised his hands in defeat for now. "I am not armed, Commander. But just remember how treasured some hostages can be."

"Considering who I have?" Porro laughed. "Two of them are known as the most notorious. Another is an untrustworthy politician. And you? What is your worth other than being an annoying pain in everyone's ass?"

"Collateral," Roger immediately said, to hide Bishop's involvement. "You keep me, you don't get thousands of mutants at your door. My word, their destruction."

"You're lying." Porro saw through it. "You claimed that Lucas Bishop and the three you brought were part of a conspiracy. You have not told me how."

"We said we found nothing. The report was filed and sent back to your superiors."

"Because you _were _in league with them to begin with. It was all a sham."

"Never said I wasn't involved in anything." Roger shrugged his shoulders again.

"And now, your plan is doomed." Porro aimed, this time for Roger's head. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you and hang you as a trophy. Mutant heads are all the rage, you know."

"Wouldn't you love the prize of handing over the infamous Roger Mortimer alive though?" Roger asked Porro. "There's a bounty on my head. Always had been, always will be. Nobody might have known my name, but they always remember the act and hardly the face. I'm a mutant menace. Never claimed I was anything else. But then again…" It was here that Roger stopped, pretending to think and feeling Xavier's tension behind him. "You _can_ hand all four of us over. Wouldn't there be some glory in there? It'll be a package deal. All of your fellow humans would look to you and wonder how it happened. You can make up all the stories you care to and make yourself out to be a hero."

"I could," Porro replied, seeming to ponder the situation, "but hanging you all on a wall seems more appealing."

"In what way?" Roger asked, noticing that the siren had all been silenced. "Alive, we would have more value alive than dead."

"And the others?" Porro asked. "What are they to me?"

"The same," Roger said casually. "You have powerful mutants under your roof, _wanted_ mutants, and most of them in graduates or in league with Xavier's school in Salem Center, New York. Again, would you rather than the heads on a wall to show off your deeds or have a whole body alive and get all the credit for capture?"

Porro lowered his gun, staring at Roger in a new light. "You know, I think I have a better plan for all of you. And you don't even have to travel yourselves. We will provide transportation for you…back home to a ghetto."

* * *

**The reference and use of the Human Majority is on the "Twenty-Five Moments" website for _X-Men Days of Future Past_. Any further storyline for them is pure imagination except for their belief of what disease was, which is also on the website.**


	44. Sirens Screaming

As soon as the siren was sounded, Bobby grabbed Kitty and the two of them ran through the floor, escaping blame and trying to find Bishop. As they did though, they noticed a subtle change within the prisoners. Despite collars being on, all of them started regaining their mutant powers. They all appeared either surprised, incredulous or even unbelievable. Most of them removed the equipment that hindered them from living their lives and followed Bobby and Kitty down the levels. They talked of Bishop and what needed to happened, taking their time as they ran down the stairs through the levels.

Eventually, Bishop met up with them on the third level, he too running to meet up with them. Behind him were Blink, Sunspot and Warpath. Bobby was alarmed that Ororo and Matthew were not in the party, as they were supposed to be coming down from the personnel rooms, but that couldn't stop them now. The thought of leaving them behind was a tough one though and one that Bobby did not want to think about. His first reaction upon seeing Bishop was to turn around and find the others, but the mutant stopped him quickly.

"We don't have time," Bishop said urgently. "We need to leave _now_."

"Where are Matthew and Storm?" Bobby asked, wanting to know. "You've kept secrets from us on this plan. We have a right to know some of it before we panic."

"For your youth, I'd hope not to," Bishop replied. "From what I understand, if they followed instructions, they should be below."

"In the tunnels?" Kitty asked.

"Yes," Bishop said, urgency in his voice. "Now, quick! Follow me."

Bishop set a grueling pace, with hundreds of feet stomping behind them and mutant abilities flaring up with their freedom to shove the few guards remaining away. The levels and the people blurred for Bobby and he soon was catching his breath as he stopped on the bottom, the sixth level. He found some water in his boots as little streams rushed through the concrete floor, but he ignored it, thinking that Porro had allowed some of the river waters to come in by mistake. He then turned around, watching a million eyes, in different shapes, sizes and colors, stare back at him, Kitty and Bishop. He could not believe it. Bishop was right. Hundreds would have followed and they would have died, all in the name of peace.

Smiling, Bobby turned to Bishop. "Where are the tunnels?"

"Once Storm and Thunderstrike come through, you'll see." Bishop glanced at the wall in front of them though, expecting it to open up, even though it was a dead end. "The others shall come behind us."

"When will we know though?" Kitty, oddly enough, was nervous. "I haven't heard any word from them."

"You will have to go on faith alone. Presence does not always mean assurance." Bishop grinned, soon watching the wall crumble before him suddenly collapse. "I believe we are now on the right track."

The damp bricks did not hold for much longer, the water already eroding most of it away anyway. They soon turned to pieces and dank dust, a damp cloud swirling around the front of the group for a few minutes. As soon as it cleared, Ororo and Matthew stood before everyone. The latter dropped the tools he was using to break the wall down and the former was motioning for everyone to move forward. Perseverance seemed to be prominent in both of them, although Bobby swore he saw some fear in Ororo's eyes.

"There isn't much time," Matthew said to Bishop, watching as the first of the mutant prisoners started running into the tunnels. "It seems that Commander Porro started the water works again."

"What?" Bobby was surprised. "I thought he had some new shipment this past week."

"We thought so too," Ororo replied. "Some prisoners were sent to a special room where they do interrogations. However, none of us were invited to these sessions to see what was brought in. When I peeked in the room, there was nothing in there except some dead bodies. It was a cover-up. Porro knows something and was making excuses as he went along."

"The way to the tunnels were covered up when they were opened before," Matthew continued. "Storm and I had to move several boxes and a few body bags before we were able to break the walls and get down here."

"A few body bags?" Bishop was curious.

"It seemed recently done," Matthew admitted, his nose wrinkling to show how the scent was. "Porro was making things more difficult than I thought too."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Kitty asked, the fright in her gone. "Porro could have blocked the exits and have his other men waiting for us on the other side. Let's go, before it's too late!"

Bobby thought nobody would have said the words out loud, even though it was so obviously in front of them. While Ororo, Matthew and Bishop exchanged worried glances, most likely about those they left behind, they soon followed the exodus out into the tunnels. At the head were Warpath, Sunspot and Blink, who were leading the others in the correct direction per Bishop's earlier directions. Kitty and Bobby soon were up front with their friends, encouraging the others and helping to carry those who were too weak to move. Bishop did not believe in leaving the undefended and sick behind.

_But we were leaving four others behind. Who was going to lead us now?_

It almost felt like it was a few years ago for Bobby, when everything was changing. When the Professor had supposedly died, everybody seemed to be lost, rudderless and without direction. Bobby thought Ororo did the best she could, as everyone else did, but there was so much anyone could do, with threats at their door, the camps and the eventual rescue. Even after the battle at Alcatraz, nothing was certain, even the return of Magneto and Mystique. Hell, _nobody_ knew that the Professor had managed to live until he approached Magneto and they found Logan in Kansas City (or so the story went). Logan saw Danielle, they teamed up with Roger Mortimer and everything was almost set to rights. However, even Bobby knew that, without the Professor's guidance, they could not go on. They could not stand another time when he could die.

Soon, there were at another dead end, the recently collapsed walls weeping water. Warpath turned to Bishop, who was some feet behind him, and showed no panic like the others. "I thought you said this was the way?" he asked Bishop.

"This is," Bishop confirmed. "I have gone through his way many times before. There should be no block here."

"What now?" Kitty asked, her eyes, as well as everyone else's, turning to Bishop.

"We have two options," Bishop announced, so everyone heard him, even from the back. "We can work together to break this wall or there is another way out. It will take longer, but we will still come to the same exit."

"We have many people for the first option," Warpath pointed out. "We don't have much time to take another detour though."

"We might have to," Ororo argued. "We can't fit everyone in here."

"No, we can't," Bishop conceded, moving to the side wall and pulling out a uniquely shaped gun hidden there. "Sunspot, give me some power."

Intrigued, Sunspot tried channeling his solar power. However, he could not find his mutant powers. He tried again, but there still was nothing. He then looked at Bishop, shrugging his shoulders in confusion.

"Are you sure the device was turned off?" Sunspot asked Bishop.

"We all heard the siren," Kitty pointed out before Bishop could say anything. "You doubt we didn't do our end of the job?"

Ororo tapped her head. "I can't use my powers either. I don't hear the siren anymore either."

That was making Bobby nervous most of all. "Ok, so the switch has been reversed. The range of the device is the prison. We get out of here, we regain what we lost. At this point, human effort will get us nowhere. Which direction do we now go?"

Bishop was disappointed in the turn of events, but he did not allow it bother him, Bobby noticed. "We leave now for the alternative way out."

With the order, everyone turned around. Bishop ran to the other end and directed traffic that way. Sunspot, Warpath and Blink caught up with Bobby and Kitty when they started their run anew. Kitty was soon annoyed that Sunspot managed to squeeze between her and Bobby, but realized that he needed to talk to Bobby. She moved back to be with Blink, noting the anxiety on Sunspot's face. Blink seemed to be more comfort for her at the moment than hearing the conversation anyway, she figured.

"Do you think it didn't work?" Sunspot asked when nobody was paying attention. "Do you think Porro has an extra card up his sleeve?"

"It's possible," Bobby admitted, not wanting to be defeated yet. "We have the people, the smarts and the ability to get through him though. We have the best people on this. But Kitty and I know that that device was turned off. We know the guards were running to see the commotion. I'm also pretty sure they'll be there to meet us somewhere if they weren't all overpowered by those left behind, I would assume."

"I don't like this," Sunspot said, glancing around at the people running with them. "I now feel we've put these people in danger."

"We might have." Bobby did not want to face that possibility though. "Even the most desperate and downtrodden of people can find the hope they crave."

"You really believe that?"

"I've had to or else I wasn't going to be much of a help."

"Like you really are now?"

Bobby grinned tightly. "Naw. I like to think I nudge people along."

"Perhaps you think that. But what if it doesn't work?"

"It must. Eventually though, all things come to an end. Whether or not we achieve something now might not affect the future. It might, but we don't know that. All I know is that right now, this very moment, we are standing on a precipice. Where it takes us as we jump, I can't tell you. I am not going down without a fight though. We _cannot_ afford to. We must take the dive and prepare for the worst if we are to achieve our goals. We must also be responsible for the great consequences too, no matter what they are."

"Wow. Great words, my friend."

Bobby hid another smile. "I have great teachers."

By then, the group of friends had gathered back together and continued to run. In fifteen minutes, they were soon nearing the other exit. The sharp, cold outside air woke Bobby up, his feet soon drowning in mud. He did not notice that the water had gotten deeper with each step and that everyone was having a hard time getting through. Bishop was pushing them through though, stopping to urge each to go on to freedom and to follow the river to the forests. Although all were tired, they listened to Bishop, edging away from the prison lights that always searched for escaped prisoners. By then, Matthew and Ororo were leading the hundreds of mutants forward, waiting for Bishop to rendezvous with the other group coming north to march with them. After some miles of sliding through the mud, they came to their clearing, where their meeting was supposed to be. Bishop managed to get everyone away from the immediate danger zones where they could be spotted and came to the front, waiting.

Some time passed and nobody had come forward nor had no mutant powers had yet to be returned. Bobby saw how tired the others were, most of them yawning and sitting down to rest. He immediately went for Kitty's hand, holding it tightly and waiting anxiously too. He saw Ororo inch closed to Matthew, her breath held and her hand on his back. Blink was nearing Warpath too, but the latter was having none of it and proceeded to ignore her, instead having a conversation with Sunspot. All and all, very boring, but Bobby was sure it would end soon.

About an hour later, a man soon came to the clearing, staying close to the trees though. He seemed nervous, Bobby noted, and he saluted Bishop shakily. Bishop returned the sentiment and walked over, putting his hand on the man's shoulder.

"Are we ready?" Bishop asked, his tone calm for such an edgy situation.

"I…I would think so," the man replied. "I think we should take it slow though."

"Of course," Bishop agreed. "Just lead us to your assembly and we shall continue."

Suddenly, another man in black jumped out from atop of the trees. He immediately went behind the one Bishop was talking to and immediately sliced his throat from ear to ear. Around him, hundreds of more men like him, all in black, bounced out as if from nowhere, guns and knives drawn. Bishop froze, not sure of what to do. He decided to take it as calmly as he did with the others though, smiling to the men who just killed the person they were supposed to meet up with.

"Something troubling you?" Bishop asked the man in charge, the one who just killed his friend. The man just looked Bishop in a disgusted manner, unable to believe what he just heard.

"I don't think things are troubling me, mutant," the man said, his still form even causing Bobby's hair to turn on end. "I think this should trouble you. You are all under arrest, on orders of Commander Porro. Most of you have forfeited your lives and are sentenced to death."

Bobby protectively put his arms around Kitty, unsure of what else to do. He watched the scene in front of him as if he was not there, waiting for Bishop's move. It did not seem real at all, but he knew better. Bishop's move had yet to come though and possibly never will. There was no way to move past this and there might never be.

"Bobby –" Kitty began in a desperate whisper.

"No." Bobby cut Kitty off, knowing that there was no time to cross back through time to change the future. "No matter the consequences, we face them together. This is just a ripple in the water. We stand together and we die together. There is no other way now."


	45. They've Tricked Everyone

The late winter sun had almost set. Logan sat in his tower again, waiting for the signal to fight. He did not know when it was going to be, but he knew that tonight's fight was going to be the one that decided it all. He only had to look at the massing army before them in the front, which grew larger during the past day, and know that they were going to strike. If they sat there and did nothing, they would fall and fall quickly. The best thing they could do, other than watch their movements, was to start the fight and get them to come out.

Oddly enough, the colonel in charge liked Devon's plan, but changed it up a little bit. He wanted the mutant powers used and then use whatever numbers they had against those outside. There was enough snow on the ground to kick up and to camouflage them until it was time to attack. The colonel hoped that would knock out a few more before the other side could realize what was happening and fight back. Logan liked that idea a lot (he even wanted to applaud Devon for thinking it up), but was sure there was something else he was missing. If he concentrated enough, he could smell the other presence, all around them. It was that same something that followed them through the snow to the facility and would surround them. He could not tell what they were still, but he had an idea. It was slightly different than what they encountered when they were living with Parker. It was all the same though.

The sun soon set and the yellow and orange waves disappeared before a purple and black sky. Logan felt the wind pick up a little and the snow whirl in his hair. He carefully climbed down the tower ladder and went to find Devon, seeing him at the far left corner of the property holding his now completed staff. He took his time walking over, clasping his hand on the back of Devon's shoulder to make him aware that he was behind him. Devon turned around, his eyes dark and unreadable, and smiled thinly.

"You ready?" Logan asked Devon, pointing to the sunless skies.

"I don't know," Devon admitted, for a moment allowing some vulnerability to show. "It just seems…I don't know…so calm. Nothing seems to be wrong. It doesn't seem all that bad."

"It's always that way," Logan reassured him, directing Devon to face forwards, towards their attackers. "Signal is supposed to be given in a few minutes. Concentrate. Don't let them get to you."

Logan felt like the words came from Xavier, not from him. He could say a million more things to Devon though, telling him to do his best and he might come out of it alive. It would be something he would remind a mortal man sitting next to him by a campfire years before. But even Logan knew that reassurance was a lie. The best and the worst always died in battle and death never discriminated from one person to the next. It just seemed that he was the only one besides his brother that survived it all, from the Civil War onward, and nothing was going to change that. He would forever watch everyone he loved die around him.

As soon as the wind picked up enough that they were covered, Logan moved back to his position at the bottom of the tower ladder. A stray bullet from the top hit him in the arm, but it popped out easily and he healed. He then couched down to avoid more, feeling the snow with his gloved fingers and the shaking that was slowly encompassing the radius agreed upon. Logan looked around him quickly as the ground continued to shake, noticing the effects Devon had on the environment. He wasn't going full scale disaster yet (he would ensure nobody on their side would get killed, Logan hoped), but Logan was already feeling that it was getting closer to that. He could not stand up without falling over, glad that the buildings behind them would not feel the tremors.

Suddenly, the earthquake became worse and people started grabbing for anything to stay steady before the run forward. Logan lost his balance completely and was rolling away from his position, feeling tons of earth hit his face. He unleashed his claws, grabbing what was left of the ground, but could not get a firm grip. His claws went through the frozen ground as it went it pieces before him. Almost in a free fall, Logan desperately felt himself drop through the air until he felt his back hit solid ground once more. He then felt himself rise up and have a closer look at the stars coming out.

Gasping and recovering, Logan rolled over to even ground. Damning Devon to hell and the sentimental women like Danielle who adapted kids like him, Logan got up, but staggered again. The tremors were moving in an upward directions towards the snipers and tanks. He watched as it moved quickly, around hilly terrain and up before everything seems to stand still. Then, through the snow, as the earth twisted underneath their enemy, he heard the explosions before the red and orange fiery conflagration started brightening up the night. He heard the screams of those who were hurt or dying, the cries of people gone from this world and the destruction their single player caused. But now was not the time for watching the action this time. They had to move and move _now_.

Keeping his claws out, Logan recovered and stared running towards the destruction, hundreds of other soldiers like him doing the same. Most of them holding weapons or using their mutant powers, they ran as a team towards their threat and yelled out in the name of equality. However, when they reached the top and their battle cry was gone from their lips, they all saw that there seemed to be nothing left. Devon's work seemed to have done their enemy in and achieved the devastation they needed. In holes in the ground, tanks laid haphazardly, like hands raised for help. Dying men were left behind, those living had fled. There were no weapons left, not even the bent tanks, all of them left buried in the ground or scattered into pieces. Patches of fire littered the snow, melting away the frozen soil. Even the trees, which held snipers and other shooters alike, were empty. The branches were bent in uneven ways, sometimes trunks split into half.

_Something is off._ Logan held his hand up for silence and studied the stillness. He sniffed the air and sensed the same presence from before. He motioned for everyone to back up slowly while he moved forward to see what was there.

Devon joined Logan as the latter inched forward quietly. Logan waved Devon away, but the younger mutant was having none of it.

"You can't do this alone," Devon said plainly, keeping his staff close.

"Orders are still orders, kid," Logan replied in a hiss, his irritation at an all-time peak. "Get back there."

"You can't take them out all on your own," Devon pointed out. "We're a team, remember? You can't sacrifice yourself. Mom won't forgive me."

"She'd kill me if you were dead too," Logan argued, knowing that part was true anyway.

"Well, it seems like we're at an impasse then." Devon grinned, indicating that he knew that he won.

Logan didn't bother replying, he was that annoyed. Retracting his claws for his right hand, he pulled Devon's coat collar and yanked him behind him. He then made himself fully armed once more, feeling the light trembling below his feet with each step Devon took with him. The snow and ice melted underneath them as well, their tracks easily followed. That didn't bother Logan yet though. He was more concerned on finding out who had been left behind to watch them.

Dying hands pulled at Logan's feet as he walked into the woods, but he ignored that. He had to kick a few bodies out of the way in an effort to show Devon how devastative his powers were. However, that did not impress Devon that much and only added to the ego. Indeed, Logan saw that he was a little disturbed and awed at what his powers had done, his mouth opened in a wide O-shape. His revenge seemed a little too sweet, Logan thought, and that left Devon almost scared of his powers. It might pushed back to revenge bit, but Logan doubted it. He knew Devon would still use anything he got to break spirits and today was only the beginning.

A rustling out in the woods caught Logan's attention soon enough. He put his hand up to halt Devon and motioned that he copy his movements. Softly, the two eased in the direction of the noise, maybe going two miles into the thick foliage. Finally, Logan stopped. He kneeled down, Devon behind him, and hid behind a bush. The two then waited patiently, to see if whatever it was would come out, but saw and heard nothing yet. Devon was about to suggest to Logan that they should move on, but something above their heads caught his attention.

Almost like lightning, a tall and thin grey figure dropped to the ground, just before the bush Logan and Devon had been hiding behind. When Logan looked up to see who or what it was, he saw a robot before him. It appeared to be the same Sentinel that attacked them some months before, but there were some major differences in this one and the last. It was shorter, sleeker and had no face. The skin was almost like metallic flaks, smoothing out as it relaxed and spotted them. Its hands soon released claws like his, except longer. Where any facial expressions should be, an opening began and glowed in a familiar stance.

"Run!" Logan yelled as he retracted his claws, pulling Devon as he turned around, posed to return. He didn't want to take that one on yet, knowing that it could kill him. He knew it was best to prepare, report and then fight.

Devon did not need to be told twice. As he turned around, a blast of fire missed him by a hair. As Logan got to the front, he followed the elder mutant back to the compound, where hundreds of other waited for the verdict and perhaps await for further orders. Seeing the two of them running in terror was not a good sign, Logan knew, but he had to tell the truth. He could not keep the terror from them.

"Sentinels!" Logan yelled.

"What?" The colonel had appeared, as if out of nowhere. "_Sentinels_? You mean, Trask robots?"

"Yes, Sir." Logan stopped before him, Devon almost smacking into Logan's back. "It's a new model, something I am unfamiliar with."

"What does it do?" another asked, worried.

"Other than shooting out flames at mutants, I can't tell you," Logan admitted. "I think it can hide itself in nature, keep its scent off the usual radar and be used in place of humans. It's possibly why nobody saw them now."

"It's a super weapon," the colonel said blankly.

"I wouldn't say that yet," Logan confirmed. "We have strong men here. We can keep our stand."

"We don't have much time though," Devon added, trying to catch his breath. "We either need to push them back or retreat."

_Logan?!_

Danielle sounding scared in Logan's mind was a surprise to him. She was still recovering in a hospital bed, the children, Rogue and Mae with her, and he didn't expect her to be reaching out to him at a time like this. However, the tone was something that caught his attention.

_What is it, babe?_ Logan tried not to sound more annoyed than he really was even he could not help it. The looks other people gave him were strange, but they knew that Danielle was a telepath and could communicate with him.

_Where are you?_ Danielle sounded frantic.

_We're past the fence line. Why?_

_Come back now. Everyone who can run is locked up in here and we can't hold back much longer._

_What are you talking about?_ Logan suddenly felt alarmed, his legs about to collapse under him.

_There are men here and they're attacking us inside,_ Danielle confirmed. _Sentinels got them in from one side and are behind them, I think. But they seem to be building them anew, so they can be undetected until recently. I didn't see much of the action, we're barricaded back here. They're here, Logan. They tricked you, they tricked everyone. The Sentinels will kill us all._

_Danielle –_

The link seemed to break suddenly, almost like an empty echo in Logan's mind and one that felt like death. By the time he realized what happened, he was opening his eyes, not realizing that he had closed them in panic, and closing his mouth. Everyone was looking at him, the calmness before the storm about to be broken before them. Logan had no choice. They had to save the facility or die in the attacks coming their way.

Logan let his claws out, hoping it to be the last time in a long time. "That way!" he shouted, pointing to the main building where everyone resided. "They're attacking the women and children!"

It didn't long for them to mobilize once more, even without the colonel's orders. Humans and mutants alike lit up with power again, running in the opposite direction. Logan ran with them too, Devon behind him, hoping to God that his family was left unmolested. Although they possibly knew Danielle, Mae and Leon Ellis' two biological children by reputation alone, they were a target that Logan did not want to leave unguarded anymore. Rogue and Daken were just collateral for good behavior and could be killed just as easily.

Logan could not afford to lose them all, not today or any day. Keeping that in mind, he entered the front doors of the building, his claws breaking the locks left behind so that the others could come in behind him with ease. The first in, he was also the first target for the Sentinels left behind to guard the entranceway. One of them glared at Logan with its faceless head, sensing a mutant about to be dead. Devon stopped behind Logan and would have taken the Sentinel on, but soon was defending Logan's backside with some others human guards that saw them come in. He moved towards the back, working his way to the hospital wing to see his family, leaving Logan alone.

"Bring it on, asshole," Logan dared the Sentinel that aimed its fire at him, waving him on with his claws and feeling ready to take one on. "Try and kill me this time."


	46. Walking into the Exodus

As soon as the battle began outside and soon turned towards the inside, Danielle knew that there was little she could do except do the best she could to hold back and not scream in terror. She sat up in her bed with her heart beating fast, dressed and ready to leave when it was necessary, but holding Daken close to her heart, wrapping him inside of her jacket. Although a little more than two weeks old, he still managed to fit inside with room to spare. Michael and Riley were on her other side, dressed, oddly quiet and not arguing, but clenching her jacket on the outside. Rogue sat on the edge of the bed nervously and dressed too while Mae fluttered in and out, giving them updates.

The snowstorm had started, leaving everyone too scared to run out into the weather. However, people had come in and out of the hospital wing, all in search of a way out and directed back out, told that there was no exit, but some had stayed on to take shelter. Eventually, as the fighting started coming their way, the doctors and nurses barred the doorway, listening helplessly as the screams of the hurt and dying reached their wars. They could not afford their own safety by allowing others inside and then letting them go. However, Danielle knew that there was a way out of this wing. All she needed to do, after telling Logan the catastrophic situation, was wait and take the plunge. They all needed to make a breakout.

Mae finally came by after ten minutes, pulling at her shirt collar and holding her winter gear in the other hand. "We need to move now."

"What?" Rogue sat up first, feeling tension as Mae grimaced. "What's happening?"

"I have no time to explain," Mae replied hurriedly, putting on her coat, hat and gloves. "We need to leave _now_. There's a back doorway we can use. Let's go!"

Rogue did not believe what she was hearing. She vowed to herself before this battle that she could not leave Devon behind, but now she had to run for her life once more, like a common criminal afraid of who she was. She had to run somewhere, possibly to where Devon can't find her, and wait anxiously for his return. She was sure that Logan would come back (she always had no doubts about him), but Devon…she needed him to. She couldn't think of what would happen if she had to live life without him. She lost Bobby. She couldn't lose Devon too.

With difficulty, Danielle got up from the bed and hobbled behind Mae painfully, Daken still wrapped and Michael and Riley behind her. It took Rogue a few second to decide, but she went after them, unsure of what else to do. Mae took them down a narrow hallway that the nurses usually used, passing through a maze of people trying to find the same thing they were looking for. Mae then took a right-hand turn, one that anyone could have missed, and took out a set of keys, unlocking the door that stood of them. She allowed everyone through, squeezed back to the front and directed them back to another right-hand turn and another locked door. This time, she tried unlocking it, trying each key twice, but was unsuccessful.

"Dammit," Mae muttered.

"What?" Rogue asked, seeing the panic on Mae's face.

"The door won't open," Mae replied, unable to keep the truth from them. "They must have changed the locks recently because they wanted to keep everyone inside. If they did and didn't give us the keys for it, then there is only one person who has it."

"The director," Michael answered, groaning. "Any way we can catch him?"

"I don't think so." Danielle thought for a moment, which made Mae worried.

"Danielle, don't you even think about it," Mae warned.

"How the hell else can we get out?" Danielle asked in a demanding tone. "Rogue can give me the extra strength to get through the locking mechanism."

"What?" Rogue was shocked. "No, I can't –"

"You have and you've done it before," Danielle interrupted. "You can't deny it now. We're a team, Rogue. We need to work together and get out of here. I'm sure Logan will keep Devon safe and track us down later. Right now, you need to consider not just yourself, but also the children too. The men and Sentinels are out there, waiting to get us."

"S-sent-Sentinels?" Rogue stuttered.

"Yes, the Sentinels," Danielle snapped. "They can come in here and take us away to who knows where. Just take your damned gloves off so I can concentrate on the lock better and we can get out of here."

Rogue felt she had no choice once more. Danielle handed Daken to Mae as Rogue took her gloves off and took Danielle's hand. Danielle shuddered and almost collapsed from just sheer exhaustion alone, but took the strength offered to her nonetheless. Her mind was soon shooting into the lock and the pins that held it together. With Rogue behind her, she pushed them aside and soon unlocked the door. In seconds, she pushed a weakened Rogue away and smiled, taking Daken from Mae and wrapping him back up. Riley and Michael pushed the door open, allowing the snow inside. Together and without hesitation, the six went outside into the snowstorm.

Danielle could not see anything and did not sense around yet, only knowing that they were heading southeast. Instinctively, she reached for Michael and Riley's hands, the two small ones in her large one. Mae took Riley's other side and Rogue took Michael over entirely, holding onto Danielle's shoulder to keep together. Together, they marched through the snow as the storm grew worse, the drifts got higher and the wind picked up worse. Nobody knew where they were going, even Mae, and with Daken screaming almost on level with the wind, they could not concentrate. They pushed on though, hoping to escape when so many others could not.

Finally, after some minutes and climbing uphill past the broken fence and large objects covered in snow, Danielle expanded her mind and tried seeing where they were. Finding out they were near the woods was a good thing, but shelter was far away, some miles away. It was too far away to walk to, if she had to tell herself the truth, but they had to get out of there for their sakes and the children's.

Mae urged a faster pace. Danielle complied, much as she knew she couldn't keep it, but soon had to stop. Everyone looked at her strangely, unsure of why since she didn't say why. She did not care though, sure that something was watching them.

"We can't go this way," Danielle plainly stated. "We need to head southwest."

"Are you insane?" Rogue asked her. "We need to head the way we came."

"No, we can't." Danielle saw the shadows of Rogue's face behind the wall of snow flying around them. "They're coming after us. They'll see the tracks. If we head southwest, the wind will be behind us and hide where we're going better than if we head east."

Mae was about to say something to shut them out, to say how tired she was and how they needed to move anywhere anyway, when something shook the ground. For a second, she thought Devon had somehow followed them and was showing off his powers. However, when she squinted her old eyes and saw the thing (for she knew it wasn't a person) in front of them stand up straight and look at them, she knew they were in trouble. It was a smaller version of the Sentinels they saw months ago, but one nonetheless. A long set of claws came out on the knuckles, almost like Logan's, and its face had no features likes the other ones did. Where a face should have been, tentacles opened up to show a yellow glow.

Danielle saw the same thing Mae did. She immediately pulled the children around her, covering them with her body, and screamed as a protective blue and silver bubble surrounded them with what was left of her powers. She had no strength to fight and did the only thing she knew best. Rogue and Mae covered what was left of Michael and Riley inside the protective cover as well, their bodies already too weak to take on this new Sentinel or provide any new energy to Danielle.

The bubble wasn't going to last long, Danielle knew, but it would buy them some time. She, Mae and Rogue would think of something then. All they needed to do though was think it through and something would deter the Sentinel. Already, the two were arguing about what they could do, all the while listening to the children whimpering and crying.

Either way, if they did not hurry up and decide, they were going to die.

~00~

Logan had gone through four new Sentinels already, slicing off their heads as easily as he did to the replica robots in the Danger Rooms years before. During the melee though, he managed to check the cubicles one by one, to see if Danielle and the kids were there, and found nothing. Teller and Peter had fought back the men on that far side the best they could and held them back well. Meeting Logan was the next best thing they could have had all day though. Rankin was nowhere in sight, but from what Logan had seen, it seemed that the idiot had either run off, mimicked another's powers to keep fighting or was killed.

"Where the hell have you been?" Teller asked Logan, his face sprouting a few bruises and a cut on his cheek. "You been playing soldier back there or what?"

"Shut the fuck up." Logan was in no mood for games this moment. Ducking a stray bullet and watching it ricochet off of Peter's metal form, Logan pulled Teller down to a cubicle for a moment's safety. "Where is everyone?"

"Last I knew, in the hospital wing, I swear," Teller declared, his hand held up in a defensive manner. "Jesus Christ! Mae was planning on taking them out the back way, since the others in charge decided not to say anything about the back door. There's an old shed some miles from here, I heard. I'm sure they went that way."

It was then that Logan heard something over the din of fighting. He knew that voice anywhere, knew the distance and direction. He only had to race outside and find them.

"Hey, Tin Man, get your ass in gear," Logan ordered Peter. "Teller, you too. Follow me."

Claws out, Logan followed the direction where he knew the scream came from. Behind him, Teller and Peter trialed behind and almost stepped on the back of his boots. As soon as they reached the hospital wing though, jumping over wounded and sometimes dead bodies, Devon joined them. He had already been through the beds and shrugged his shoulders as soon as the threesome stopped in front of them. His long face told everything, but he did not hear what Logan did.

"They're not here," Devon informed Logan. "I don't know where they went."

"I do," Logan announced confidently. "Get behind the rest of them and follow me."

"Wait –" Devon began.

"Listen, kid, we don't have time to sit and talk, but we have some time to get your mother and brothers," Logan interrupted, starting the race anew as he smelled out the trail left behind Danielle and the others. Devon was directing behind him, muttering curses to Logan, while Teller and Peter held the rear, the former throwing black diamond-shaped blades that came from his cheeks and the latter providing cover with his metal form.

Logan soon went down through hallways and ended up at a dead end, the door locked. He sliced the lock into pieces and kicked the door open, again following the pathway. Eventually, he ended up at an unlocked door, opening it and feeling snow hit him hard on the face. By then, they had outrun all of the major fighting, but Logan knew that the Sentinels were outside somewhere, lurking and waiting for them. He didn't care though, hearing the scream again through the storm. He sprinted towards the noise, the three behind them not complaining about the snow and keeping the danger away from behind. Devon already had sent an earthquake in a few directions, Peter had defected a few more bullets with his body and Teller had cut a neck open with his diamond-shaped shards.

Soon though, they were in the woods. Just ahead, Logan barely saw Danielle, Mae, Rogue and the children, hurdled in a blue and silver bubble, and the Sentinel, trying to pierce his way through to the inside with his long, thin claws. The protective cover was flashing in and out though, slowly at first, but then quicker and quicker. Logan knew that Danielle was losing her strength without Rogue able to give some and they would soon be at the mercy of the Sentinel in front of them. Surely, Rogue and Mae were up to something, but one more surprise was something the Sentinel wasn't going to expect.

"Colossus, throw me!" Logan ordered. Soon, he had the six foot seven metal man beside him and in his arms, spinning a few times before flying with claws out.

The Sentinel saw Logan coming when it sensed more mutants nearby, but it was too late to react by the time Logan landed on top of it. It was too easy to rip the head off of its shoulders and drop to the ground. The robotic body fell into the snow, but it went with a scream from its neck unlike anything Logan had heard before, almost like a cry for help to the others in the area. There was an echo in the woods, nothing more. It gave them little time for formalities and the seconds to act. The battle was coming back into the woods, with prisoners Logan saw (from which side she could not tell), and they would be after them next if the wrong side won.

Immediately, Logan ran to the dying bubble, retracting his claws. As soon as Danielle allowed him through, he hugged Mae and Rogue first, kissing the latter on the forehead. Letting them go, he went for Danielle and the children next, holding into Danielle so tightly that she had to push him away before he suffocated Michael, Riley and Daken in his embrace. Logan pushed a stray lock of red hair out of Danielle's face and adjust her woolen hat before he turned to everyone. It was time to take ownership of the group again and become the nomad one more time.

"We need to go," he announced. "We don't have time."

"We can see that, sugar," Rogue replied. "How do you expect us to walk through this though?"

"I think I have an answer to that question," Teller announced from afar. Logan hardly heard him above the wind, but he noticed that Teller's tone was a little uneasy.

"What?" Danielle asked generally, turning around to see Teller, but gasping. She covered the children with her arms protectively again and did not say anything to Logan.

It took Logan a few minutes to realize what was going on. Through the snow and wind, they were found. Without realizing it, the sound the Sentinel he decimated had made was a signal that alerted the humans where it was and where its killer was, knowing that its owners would be nearby to help. The side that was winning was the side that they were trying to defend against, the same people who had been hunting them down for months now.

Sentinels and the armed men behind the machines surrounded them, weapons raised to show who really was in charge. Everyone within their circle was still, looking to Logan for answers, even Danielle the assassin and mother. Logan counted who was present and decided their odds were stacked against them and that it was not worth it to risk the children's lives. Any weapons on him other than his claws he threw down, motioning to everyone else to do the same. After a few minutes, a pile of weapons – guns, knives and even Devon's staff – were covered in snow.

Brazenly, Logan glanced at their new captors, seeing for the first time in his life that he was truly defeated. He could not count many things in life the same as this, enveloped in a total feeling of helplessness and understanding that he could do nothing about. The losses, wars and even the deaths count do count for the humiliating imprisonment that he knew was coming.

It was over, Logan reasoned, but for now. There would come a time in which they would rise again and these people would regret it. Until then, they would go quietly and face the trials ahead. He wished that he could spare the children this, but now was not the time for second thoughts and regrets. It was the time to put his hands up in the air, indicate that they were no longer fighting, and join the rest of the prisoners walking in an exodus out of the only home they felt safe in since driven from their home from mad men and women bent on killing them for being different.

It would be no camp for them, Logan knew. It would be death.

* * *

**The nickname Logan gave to Colossus (as well as the toss) had been borrowed from _The Last Stand_.**


	47. Death is Never Certain

_**May 15**_

_It's been some time since I've written regularly, but it's been an insane few months. I don't know how to start or where to begin and feel disorganized inside. I could say what beautiful weather we've had and how lucky we are to be back in New York (if I want to call being here lucky). We seem to be back on square one. We're all together, even if it's cramped space, and we trying to overcome what we've had to ensure for the past two months. But we must all be positive, the Professor said, and I am trying my best not to scream and cry._

_Yes, we are back in New York, Winchester, to be exact, which is near Salem Center. Right now, we are situated in a four-block neighborhood plus a park that only holds mutants. They're called Compassionate Mutant Neighborhoods right now, the newest and greatest program from Trask for the troublesome mutants and headed by Bob Bell's ongoing Human Majority group, the same Christians who brought in the labs for Trask. The camps, well, they are justification for mass incarceration and the slow killing through their cures. This place, which we know to be a ghetto, is a prelude to something else, but most certainly not a camp unless you're well-behaved. That much we know._

_It was with a lot of good fortune that we were put together in the same house, but only because we were considered wanted prisoners and they put more guards around us. It was a bittersweet reunion though. The long trip from Alberta back to New York was nerve-wrecking and to see the people we left behind almost a year ago was a comfort. Storm, Matthew, Roger, the Professor, Magneto and Hank came earlier than we had and brought along some friends we thought we weren't going to see again. That, in and of itself, was pleasant, even between Kitty, Bobby and Rogue. A little awkward to introduce Devon as the new boyfriend, but I saw that it went over ok from my position inside as I did the laundry inside on the back porch. Crammed as it is inside, they took their problems outside and seemed to sort it out. Peter (Colossus) has yet to be included, but I am sure Kitty will get there when she does._

_I think the best reunion was between Mae and Roger. Although Gil had already been found and captured, sent to an apartment with other mutants a block away from us, he had not been a worry for them. It was those two who showed us how much they still love each other, despite their differences, and brought the good amidst the bad. Roger was already siting outside when we arrived and he could not help but run after the truck that dropped us off, hop in and take Mae into his arms and kissed her hard. The two had to be pulled apart before we were processed (and that took six men to pull Roger away), but that one act alone made the day better than the whole trip._

_However, their continuing love story is but a light in the shadows._

_The house we currently reside in is part of the last of four blocks, on the south side. It used to belong to an older diabetic woman (hence the sugar free products left around) that I am sure is now dead. It's a two story house with one bedroom to each and a very small finished attic with three rooms and an unfinished basement. On the first floor, Logan, Daken and I have the living room, Michael and Riley the front hallway and Matthew, Teller and Ororo the bedroom. On the second floor, Magneto and the Professor have the bedroom and Sunspot, Peter and Hank have the living room. In the attic, Warpath, Kitty and Bobby have the first room, Blink, Devon and Rogue the second and Roger and Mae the third._

_I refused to sleep in the bedroom on the first floor. When we arrived, I sensed something bad happened in there, balking in the doorway and refusing to move. Logan had to drag me in and try to get me settled, but even he smelled that something was off. He moved to bed that remained, showing a large red spot on the floor. It was blood, perhaps a murder most foul. Logan covered the spot up again with the bed and chose the living room as our sleeping quarters, but not before telling Storm, Matthew and Teller about the spot. The three did not seem to mind it as much as I did. To me, there was something much more rotten in the state of Denmark than anything else._

_Afterward, we lost everything that made us who we were. Like all mutants here, we do not have our powers, which was a recent development. The device that made us human, situated at the main entrance of the ghetto, holds us in its grip. The radius of the neighborhood suppresses mutant abilities only. We don't know who developed that particular thing yet, but we're sure Trask just got tired of spending more money on millions of collars and created something that would better hold us._

_For some of us, losing our mutant abilities is not a great loss, as many have had the experience many times before. However, for some of us, it is a drain on the body and spirit and the worst offenders are the most vocal, believe it or not. Hank, perhaps for the first time since becoming a young adult (excluding the trip south), now looks human and much older than he ever did as Beast. Logan is much more understanding of mortal nature these days, but now faces it permanently himself, slowly feeling the effects of adamantium poisoning inside his body. Magneto is just plain annoyed and can't seem to remember that he can't manipulate metal anymore, which beats upon his egotistical self anyway. Matthew is worse than Magneto, trying to take his aggravation out by carving what wood is in the yard and yelling at anyone who bothers him, save for Storm._

_Myself? I feel like half of my mind is gone, which makes me lose my concentration and train of thought many times. I cannot control most things I used to and would find newer ways to hide my hurt. I used to be able to regulate my illnesses and pains, able to see the world. Now, I am like a train wreck, unable to recover. My left knee, the curse of my life (all in thanks to my father), has left me limping since I never really took any treatments for it, discouraged by my mother when I was very young. The vertigo is the worst by far. Most mornings, when it is just me and Daken (since Logan cannot wake most mornings without falling back asleep), I am trying my hardest to work through the dizziness and wishing that everything would stop moving. Most days, I am unsuccessful and spend the day in a daze, unable to keep upright or in balance._

_And that seems to be the least of our worries. Now, food wasn't much of a problem from the beginning, but it's stretched thin these days. It seemed the person who used to live here kept the stocks filled to the brim for both floors. That was good for us, with so many people living there. However, as time crept, the food supply went down due to stealing (guards and other mutants) and big stomachs within the household. We rationed, took the food that was tossed to the door every morning and even went without for a day (the youngest were the only ones fed that day). It's the same for many other people, so we are not alone in our suffering._

_There are little in the way of liberties, but we take them as we can. We have a small yard, with an outdoor porch with grapes overhead, garage with a shed attached and a small garden. The garage had some lawn chairs, sprinkler and even a hose. While water supplies are usually restricted, when the weather got hot earlier this month, we managed to get some water going and get the kids (as well as the young adults) wet. The garden, well, that needs more water than we're given, so we forget about it. There is a fruit tree (I have to figure out what kind) and we sit underneath it often, especially in the evenings. And then, there are the cats…there's about ten that come by here and next door, always looking for food and water. Usually, we allow the rainwater to fill up for bathing and drinking, but we don't have much in the way of food anyway, so they hunt the birds and squirrels that come by._

_Any interaction with the neighbors seems limited, to be honest. We do see other mutants next door or across the street though, which is a little comfort. The children run through our yard to hop a fence sometimes. Michael and Riley see people their age and have their own friends besides each other, playing in the streets (hardly any cars come by except military vehicles and that's rare). The young adults of the household also get to know the same people who had the same struggles they had, knowing that they were not alone. Us adults? We're more careful than the others, using experience as our shield and keeping trust to our inner circle. Logan manages to get his cigars from the former union construction worker next door though and Teller likes asking people the latest gossip and being a flirt to the ladies. That's about as chancy as we get._

_I did mention that there was a park nearby. It's huge, to be honest, and very beautiful if the playscape equipment wasn't so rusted or vandalized. However, each block takes turns using it and cleaning it when we can. One week, it'll be the first block, the next week the next block, etc. It's our decision to go there and if it rains or the weather's bad, we're shit out of luck basically. However, I found it a great opportunity for everyone to get outside and not see each other (like Rogue and Bobby). I know there are still tensions between people, despite the intention to make peace, and walking through the park during the day provides some privacy, socializing and fun. We meet people on our block we don't normally see when outside on our own and the kids see others their age instead of each other. That's about as far as it goes with the interaction for us adults goes except for Teller and Logan, like I said._

_There are guards everywhere, I should say. There are usually two to each of us alone while more patrol the streets, stand with the mutants they are assigned to, walk the park, everywhere. They are housed just outside of the neighborhood, again taking over houses that they bought from people (or forced them out of, I believe), or they head into town. They even come into the house anytime they want to and count us, ensuring that we are not escaping or conspiring. They are as human as we are, as far as I can see, and I try to make their jobs a little easier, hoping to ease the way to some comforts later on._

_The guards are usually rowdy, I've seen, and would sneak off with anything they want and justify anything they do. We've learned to keep quiet and just watch them, as if we were spectators, and never tell the commanding officer. From afar, I can even hear them off duty, having a good time themselves, and each having a life of their own. Families live with them, friends drop in to visit and much more gawk and mock us._

_We're all used to it though. From the ride to Alberta and their ride from Brazil to here, it's has been another journey to hell, another leg of the trip we're to endure. Where it is going to end, I cannot say, but I am sure this isn't going to end well._

_What I can say right now is that, compared to many things, this feels like a false sense of security. Teller had been right. Ghetto life was worse than a camp. At least a camp had routine and was predictable in many ways. Ghetto life was something totally different, like the calm before the storm. We just don't know yet when the storm is going to begin again._

~00~

The May weather had been fabulous for days now and was starting to get hotter as time passed slowly. On the back porch and hiding in the shade of the grapevines, Logan sat on the picnic table, smoking a cigar he was given by the neighbor next door, Dave, and wishing that he could stop coughing from the smoking. For once, as he sat with his personal agony, he was alone and without a million people milling around him, complaining of this thing and that. He could not stand the buzzing anymore, especially the one stuck in his head. He had his own problems to contend with and hearing more of the drama (which he knew was far from done) was annoying him.

Some days, he wished that he stayed in Canada back in 2002, when he met up with Rogue. Some days, he wished that he didn't pick Rogue up and made her walk instead and get caught up in the fight between the mutants and humans. It wasn't so complex the way he used to live, using his trailer to get around and do a few fights for money at some bar. Some people figured he was a mutant and failed in hurting him. Others were amazed by his abilities. Now, after his life had twisted and turned in something he didn't expect, all that didn't matter. He had stuck himself in the middle of a never-ending war with a family that needed him and friends that depended on him. It was almost too much to take.

_Even if you didn't leave, they would still come after you._

It was a thought that Logan liked to think wasn't true. The way things were going though, with all the wrong people in charge and governments abolished left and right, those people would have found him and made him a bigger animal than what he used to be. He probably would never have found out his past, rescued the damsels in distress he did and killed the people that came in his way to destroy everything he held dear. He would have been caged like the animal he used to be, pushed down to nothing more than a senseless mutant with no humanity.

Just before Logan finished his cigar, he noticed Danielle coming over and sitting next to him, seeming to be in a daze herself. She was holding Daken tightly (finally sleeping through the night and napping through the day too). Michael and Riley had managed to sneak up front and were playing with the kids on the streets. Danielle seemed concerned about them, her hazel eyes rimmed red with tiredness this time, but always on the boys in the front. Logan tapped her shoulder to get her attention and she jumped. Luckily, she didn't wake Daken up.

"You know, you can't always rely on yourself," Logan reminded Danielle, finishing his cigar and putting it out. He resolved to quit sometime, since his cough started was getting worse, but that was a far way for him, it seemed.

"I know." Danielle was unusually quiet.

"You worried?" Logan asked her, unused not to be connected to her.

"I guess so."

"Am I going to get the three-word max sentences today?"

Danielle said nothing, her eyes not leaving Michael and Riley for a minute, thinking herself a bad mother if she did. In a temporary moment of weakness though, she looked away, hiding away the tears that were going to come down. She wiped them away quickly, seeing her older sons through blurry vision. She hardly heard Logan sigh and felt his hand on hers. She continued to clench Daken tightly though, which finally woke him up and had him making noises of complaint.

"Oh." Danielle loosened her grip, her eyes now downcast.

"Yeah, _oh_," Logan replied tartly. "What's the matter, babe? What's going on?"

It took Danielle a few minutes to think about it, but she turned to Logan as she comforted Daken for her mistake. "It's taken me some time to get used to it. Being here, I mean. But I don't feel like we're permanent visitors here. We have a new lease on life except it's not for the better. There's freedom here and not what we expect. There's nothing here, even if you want to count the mistrust, deceit and fright. What kind of living is that? If I wanted to go back to that sort of life, I would have stayed with Leon and killed myself a long time ago. At least I knew then how and when I would die. Now? Now, I can't pick a time and place, realizing that my worst curse is now my greatest asset. My greatest fear is watching everyone I know, including myself, slowly run into the ground and get tossed six feet deep."

"Death is never certain," Logan replied. "We just know that it comes for most people."

"I know," Danielle conceded. "And that's what gets to me. The only result of this would be our deaths. It might take months or years, but they'll come, Logan. And they'll come with a vengeance that I cannot describe."


	48. Childish Monsters Within

Behind the garage had been a shed…and a stinky one, at that. Bobby thought that it might have been used for maybe keeping some small animals, but it was always a nice private place to sit and talk without the guards noticing you for a bit. Indeed, due to the small place they've had to sleep in and the million sets of eyes around, he and Kitty had to resort to things not normally thought of in order to get their time together. The shed, well, it wasn't the greatest place to lay down and fuck after they talked and cuddled with each other, but it was a start. He was growing too tired of being inside anyway.

Today was the day though, _their_ day to have some time alone while the others lounged under the tree and talked and the kids played. Kitty had agreed to come at one o'clock, when they were sure Riley, Michael and the other neighborhood kids would make enough noise to cover up their misdeeds. Bobby didn't think that he would have to rely on a bunch of kids that he had no use for anyway to get time with Kitty, but it was almost a godsend that they were around. Even going as far as thanking whoever it was up there that noisy children existed, Bobby waited anxiously for about twenty minutes before he saw someone come to the door of the shack. Slicking back his hair and wiping the sweat away, Bobby held his breath, anxiously awaiting the moment when Kitty would come…

The door opened, revealing Devon, looking like he waiting for a date too, the way he was dressed and smiling broadly. Bobby was as surprised to see him as he was of Bobby. However, that soon turned to annoyance on both sides. Devon glared at Bobby, his face determined to issue a challenge. Devon then proceeded to ask the same question Bobby had been dying to inquire about.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Devon inquired of Bobby, aware that they both had to be quiet to resist detection from the guards.

"I would ask you the same," Bobby replied dryly. "I do have an idea though."

"Oh?" Devon crossed his arms stubbornly.

"You and I seem to have the same ideas these days," Bobby pointed out. "We both have very beautiful women who we want to spend time with. However, this shed ain't big enough for the likes of you and me and them too."

Devon didn't appreciate being told to get out, foiling his plans right from the start, and knew that Rogue would be very disappointed. He wasn't heading out without a fight though and knew that Bobby was going to do the same. Bobby may have gotten in there first, but Devon also knew that he took advantage of his non-babysitting duties to sneak out with Kitty and disappear for hours, driving the guards insane and getting them all punished. If Bobby and Kitty could get away with it, he and Rogue could too.

"What do you mean?" Devon's face reddened.

Before Bobby could answer, he noticed Kitty coming around one corner and Rogue coming from the opposite direction. The two met in the middle behind Devon outside, both of the realizing at the same moment what was happening. Rogue pushed her shortened brown and white hair back in an effort to appear cool and not spit out a rude remark. Kitty appeared exasperated and refused to say anything, finding that it was easier to try to not make the situation more awkward than it already was by saying anything.

Blowing out some frustrated air, Kitty turned right around and went out the way she came in. Rogue did the same, which made Devon madder than he was. He turned back to Bobby, who shrugged his shoulders.

"You seem to not be disturbed that you lost something pretty precious," Devon said tartly, referring to Rogue. "Maybe you should be careful where you put people."

"I haven't lost anybody or anything," Bobby bristled. "I take care of everything and tie all loose ends."

Devon snorted, noticing that Bobby was possible playing coy. "You can play nice all you want, Iceman, but once it comes down to confrontation, you are as about as cold as the powers you no longer have. Don't throw something beautiful away. Once you have it, never let it go."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do. You think you have something good now. You just didn't look back twice to see the devastation you left behind."

"What's that got to do with you coming here the same time we did?"

"Bad timing, I suppose. But now that I have you here, don't you think it's time for a frank conversation, man to man?"

"Child to man, you mean." Bobby moved to leave, turning to Devon before he went through the doorway. "Listen, Devon, you can be adult as much as you like. You've been through the same things we've had and instigated the same things we did, but you'll always be a child at heart and never understand anything. You know _nothing. _You never let go of the things that turned you into the demon you are today. Play the white knight and date my ex for all you want. I never cared about that. What I cared about was you would turn all that you have into a monstrous thing."

"Rogue isn't some monster created by me," Devon retorted. "If you opened your eyes, you would see that. She was a monster create by _you_."

The corner of Bobby's mouth twisted in a grimace. "What Rogue and I had is none of your business and what you have with her is none of my business. What happened then is now in the past. What happens now is what matters. We're trying to put the awful past behind us, even though it was partially our fault. Maybe you should do the same."

Bobby went to leave the shed with continuing the argument, but Devon stopped him one more time. His dark eyes looked into Bobby's light one. What delighted Devon was how scared Bobby was. What he was frightened of, Devon could not tell, but it was him, all the better. He wanted to make sure Bobby was comprehending everything he was going to tell him.

"Maybe you should look yourself in the mirror someday, Bobby," Devon said. "When we were crammed together in that damned camp, when we all thought we were going to die, you slammed Kitty in Rogue's face like it was nothing more than your due. You deserve to be happy. That much I get because we all need that. However, at someone else's expense is another story. You want to think me a child for thinking of Rogue? Fine. You want to think the past is being replayed and used as the present? It is. If you see what your so-called sincere actions are doing, you'll see that it's just another excuse for you to justify what you've done. I've heard the rumors and seen the carnage, man. It's not pretty…nor is standing aside and watching another suffer as you did, yesterday, today and tomorrow."

Devon let Bobby go, watching him walk around the corner, as if nothing happened. By then though, he was thinking about Kansas all over again. True, Bobby and Kitty had rubbed their relationship in Rogue's face, played the friend and brushed her under a rug after some months of using her in their escape schemes or some foolish errands. The rumors spread across the camp and it made it ten times worth the humiliation, especially when Blink became Kitty's confidant and repeated her words to others who were new in the camp. However, when it all ended, it seemed like Kitty and Bobby would make it appear that they were the good guys and make it right, smiling as Rogue walked in misery. In the end though, Devon thought it right that his mother took in Rogue. It made his life so much better that she did.

But was Bobby right though? Was Devon wrong for doing all of this and more for Rogue and himself? It made a difficult situation worse in many ways, just like this past one just did, and rubbing against Rogue's ex was pure enjoyment for Devon. However, revenge was too sweet for him. It was becoming an act that he relished in many times before. Was it consuming him though? Would Devon forever be seeking a fight wherever he could get it and always trying to right the wrongs of the past to make the future better? Would he always be a monster that Bobby was claiming that he was?

He didn't know. As Devon walked out of the shed, he spotted Rogue around the corner near the yellow garden, playing with her hair in a manner that made his heart beat faster. She had been waiting for him this entire time, hoping that there was a chance they could have some time alone. Since they spoiled it for another couple, it seems plausible they would take their place anyway. Devon had to smile. Rogue thought the best ideas, but he was always getting to them whether he realized it or not.

Rogue walked up to Devon, swaying her hips. "Think we got them away for a while?"

Excited, Devon took Rogue into his arms, pulling her into an embrace and feeling her face nuzzle into his neck. "I sure as hell hope so. It seems too much trouble to take care of your ex."

Rogue stiffened with the mention of Bobby, but she smiled to hide that pain away. "I hope you didn't give you more trouble than this is worth."

"Naw." Devon pulled Rogue into the shed, closing the door behind him. "It was worth every moment of being with you now."

~00~

Fuyuan had seemed like another frontier town in the east of Russia to Jubilee. Right from the start, she had been bored, worse than ever before. There was no college within walking distance, so Jubilee could not keep up the student façade, and no new entertainments. Instead, she opted to daily stay at the house they rented, watching from the window as the people passed in relative calmness. She could not even play the same games she used to, making up stories about people she did not know. After seeing burning after burning, and knowing that the hatred was coming faster and faster in the east, she could not bear to go into the outside world anymore, save for seeing Rogue one last time.

Mystique had caught up with them some time after their arrival in Fuyuan, not even sweating from her journey. While she had been disguised as some homeless woman in need of help in order to get through, Jubilee had played up taking her in, giving her a bath and even buying some clothes and food for her. They went to church together, chatted like old friends and even were seen together often, to throw off suspicion from the authorities. Jubilee knew what Mystique had done and would never talk of that or other important things on her mind. It was plastered all over the news, how the president and his minister and some six men had been murdered in cold blood. It was too easy to blame the mutants and see the wanted posters on the news. It was harder to believe that a whole side of the species could be entirely responsible even one did the job herself.

_Who else could have done it?_ Jubilee would think it regularly, dazing out the window each day. _Why though? Why murder more when others are being killed too?_

It was these thoughts and questions and that kept Jubilee away from the real Mystique for some weeks…in private anyway. By the time spring was sneaking a peek and the temperatures finally hit the forties, Jubilee felt that it was time to ask Mystique the latest information so she could plan things. The two had grown chummy in public and she felt braver than she ever was going to be in coding her words. Her growing terror of being murdered was beside the point. She needed to know when she could plan her escape from Mystique and her group and forever be on her own.

Sure, it was great to know through the grapevine that there was a mutant group out there, willing to shelter and hide mutants in plain sight. However, knowing that the person in charge was a known murderess was too much to bear these days, even if she was using Mystique for information and safety most of all. Times had been harsher for everyone, mutants most of all. Information was running along the same vein too.

While at some small café one day in the middle of May, Jubilee was careful about bringing things up. Beforehand, they discussed the warmer weather and perhaps the chance for a garden, if their landlord allowed it. They were empty words, Jubilee knew, but it was something to pass the time. However, she had to get the chance to ask about Rogue and her latest activities in Canada. If what Jubilee was hearing was right, then Canada had fallen to the wrong people and Rogue might as well be a dead mutant the way they treated them.

Mystique the former homeless woman put her cup of tea down. "Did you hear about what happened in the west?" she asked Jubilee, perhaps thinking the same things Jubilee had been lately.

_Or was she thinking of this on her own?_

Jubilee nodded. "Canada is controlled by its parliament now. Congress in the United States has abolished the president's seat and the judges, but they are controlled by one man, who is knocking them out one by one in Congress. Central and South America, from Mexico down, is now ruled by one man."

"And the living conditions? Did you hear?"

"No. What do you know?"

"Camps are the easiest way to get rid of the mutants. Ghettos have been the most popular way to cluster them together and keep them restrained for some time before extermination though. I hear it's the best show you can get from the mutants, since camps are more secure and get rid of them quietly. Ghettos show them in their full misery."

"What about the other countries?"

"Some of the kill the mutants outright, along with their human helpers. Sympathy is never tolerated. Others have been sent to prisons. They've mastered those too, security and all. But those are popular south of the US border and sometimes in other European countries, which isn't much of our concern. Africa has been leaving them to the elements. Countries deal with them their own way, I guess."

Jubilee saw Mystique shrug in indifference, to keep up the act. "Back to the US. They interest me more. What could these capitalist pigs possibly think of that is next best thing to vodka?"

"What should I know?" Mystique took another sip of tea. "I hear it's split up. Riots are more common and cities are cleared out for reasons I cannot comprehend. It's total chaos there."

"And our friends? You think they can escape the horrible place?"

It was here that Jubilee knew she was pushing issues and might endanger them, but it had to be said. Mystique knew what she was talking about and was careful about what she said. She even thought about it before allowing Jubilee to know the latest news.

"I hear that they're _all_ working in the ghettos," Mystique revealed, but in a way that said they were on the winning side. "They're still alive and nobody has gotten to them yet. It is not their time yet. They were lucky though. They are lucky to be alive and all together."

It was all Jubilee needed to know. She got up, offering to pay the bill, and went about her day afterward, as normal as could be. Mystique watched her though, eying Jubilee's careful movements like it was some show and not the playacting of a young adult about to think of a plan to escape. They left the café together, going home to their quiet house, and separated. Mystique went to her room, doing something Jubilee didn't want to know about (possibly planning another assassination), and Jubilee went to hers. This time though, she didn't need to pretend that everything was going to be ok and that fate will bring her to safety in Japan. No, this time, Jubilee needed to act, just as Mystique was, in order to being some peace. She needed to bring her own destiny into her own hands and run.

Jubilee needed to get back to the United States and find Rogue. She was going to escape…and that was final.


	49. My Memory Plays Our Tune

It was a fairly quiet evening for the ghetto, all things considering. While everyone was upstairs playing a game together and some other couples ran for privacy away from the guards, a few sat in silence at a table. Xavier, Magneto, Hank, Logan and Danielle did not say a word to each other, not since the rowdy dinner from the hour before (with everyone crowding the downstairs and feasting on bread, butter and pickles), and enjoyed each other's company. Daken even was quiet for the two month old he was, sleeping peacefully in a small rocking crib at Danielle's feet. Every so often, she or Logan could push it gently when the baby grumbled, to keep him from waking, and would gaze at him lovingly.

Hank especially did not want to say anything. Ever since he arrived here from Brazil, he had been careful about what he did and said. No longer was the politician in play. Now, he was back to square one, when he was first with Xavier and Magneto and they were in search of Shaw, when he was a humble scientist that nobody really knew. It had been years and years ago, almost fifty to be honest, but it showed him much more than he could ever hope for in the years since. It taught him patience and survival, something he so desperately needed these days.

With so much silence between them, Hank wanted to break into a conversation, something the guards outside their door would not mind. He missed Danielle greatly and had to admit that seeing the Wolverine again was a relief, even if Hank felt that he wanted to still beat him for the pain he gave to Danielle. However, seeing that they too were as broken by their mission was they were was devastating. They achieved as little as they had in Brazil except welcoming a new child to their family and that had been a joy Hank did not think was possible, even with Logan. They had as many hopes set upon this and all of that had fallen.

Guards marched past them outside and yelled out orders to those in the streets. That alone was normal. Hank didn't really pay attention to it until it came closer to the house, when his human ears perked up. When he realized that the guards were coming down their driveway, he stood up at the table suddenly, rattling the glasses and plates leftover on the table. Logan stood up with him, seeing the same thing, and proceeded to stand between the door and Danielle and Daken, tempted to use his claws. Magneto and Xavier stayed where they were in their seats, anxious to see what was going to happen. They all did not hear anything happen outside, but soon held their breath, knowing that it was coming this way.

The door banged open, knocking over the curtain rod above their pantry doorway on the left. A series of guards entered, the head of them in the front. While all of their guns had been pointed at all of the mutants present, all of them had eyes for one person and one alone.

"No," Danielle whispered. "No. Not _me._"

Despite feeling the pain and nausea from the adamantium, Logan let his claws out. "You're not taking her without a fight," he stated.

"Move aside," the head guard ordered. "Move aside and nobody gets hurt."

"Logan," Danielle warned, seeing every gun now pointed at Logan and knowing that he would be a dead man if he didn't back down.

"Wolverine, let her go," Magneto added. "She'll be back."

"I promise that much, if Commander Hanks like her enough." The head guard pointed to Danielle. "Get her."

One guard stood down, putting his gun into a side holder and passing Logan. As Logan put his claws back into his knuckles, the guard grabbed Danielle and started dragged her by the hair. She screamed in fright and surprise, which caused a chain reaction even she did not expect. As Daken cried in his crib, Logan lunged, trying to get the guard to let go of Danielle, but was immediately pushed back midair and, as he landed on the floor, slammed in the stomach with a gun butt to disable him. Hank moved forward, in order to put a hand up to stop it, but was pushed back into his chair by the head guard, his head hitting the top of the chair hard. Warning glances between Xavier and Magneto stopped them from doing anything.

But those screams...between Daken and Danielle, nobody could concentrate, save for the one who was pulled her outside. As soon as Logan managed to pull himself up, trying to keep his weakened state away from the guards, he saw that Danielle was gone. The guards were leaving, shutting the door behind them and stomping away. The others remained hushed behind him, unable to move or be seen as revolting. Hank, the only brave one, managed to get up from his seat, picking Daken up and calming him down as Logan stared at the door as he continued to sit on the floor. After some minutes, after Daken quieted down and soon was cooing, Hank handed the baby to Logan. He took Daken without question as he stood up, hooking him into the crook of his arm.

Hank put a reassuring hand on Logan's shoulder, flinching when Logan pushed him away. "They promised her back," he said to Logan, wishing to someone that it was the truth. "It means they're taking her someplace and she'll be safe until her return."

While Xavier and Magneto had kept their opinions to themselves, knowing that it would be easier not to imagine the impossible and bring misery to Logan, Hank had been the man of action. He ignored Logan pushing him away and was saying reassuring words, mostly that they would not take a mother away from her children like this, but even those words seemed empty to Hank. After a camp and seeing a quarter of the world in travels just to help the world, he was unsure that a false sense of security was not apt anymore. Xavier would have more words than he would, but even the Professor's well had been dried.

Magneto had taught many things to them about captivity and without even educating them while inside except in words and actions from years past. Keeping silent seemed to have been one of them, something Xavier had taken to heart. Hank was sure that his best friend and teacher had nothing more to say, even to a father who might lose his mate and the mother of the children.

"I sure as hell hope so," Logan finally said after some time, his eyes still on the door and Daken in his arms. "I sure as hell hope they bring her back. If they don't, they're not going to know what mercy is. They won't know what'll mean to be safe anymore."

~00~

Outside the house, a jeep was parked. The guards pulled Danielle towards it, releasing her by the hair and restraining her by her wrists. Once she was forced onto a seat in the back, a collar was clamped onto her neck, almost choking her. Danielle could not think why they would put a disabling collar on her, but then remembered that the device at the entranceway covered the ghetto alone. The collar meant she was leaving the neighborhood. She was promised to be back, but where she was going was a mystery.

Without further ado, the driver waiting for them turned the jeep around in the driveway and headed east. Stopping at the gate, they signed a few papers and then drove on. Danielle did not watch where they were going, becoming more and more anxious as they pulled away from the personnel buildings and headed more towards the town. While it seemed deserted and had an obvious lack of life, signs of previous riots were rampant. Businesses had been pitted, windows smashed and houses destroyed, some of them to the foundation. It seemed that some of the buildings had been bombed too, by the way the black circles encompassed it.

After a bumpy ride some fifteen minutes away from the ghetto, Danielle found that they were around a downtown area. Although quiet compared to days past, noises came from a lone club across the street from where they parked. The guards pulled out of the seat by her arms and led her inside, guiding her up the stairs in the back of the room. Although full of lights, Danielle the place gloomy and lacking the glamor she knew most clubs had. While thinking that Teller could give an idea or three about what could be done, she also could not figure out why she was asked here, taken away from her family on a night like this.

Soon though, she was in an office. Although well lit, she too found this depressing. Deprived of all furniture except for a desk and chair and something large covered in a sheet, the only person who sat before her was the bleak commanding officer of the ghetto. A distant relation of the commander of the Kansas camp, Danielle only knew him by the name of Jerry Hanks…and a brutal man, at that. He never showed his face except when new arrivals came, but he was known to give an odd order or two. It had been rumored that Hanks made life more miserable than it already was for many mutants, but Danielle had yet to see evidence of that.

Hanks looked at Danielle with an expression akin to disgust though. Danielle could not tell what he was thinking, but used her assassin's skills that Roger and Jay taught her to study his stance. Although aging and obviously slow acting, Hanks' agility, shown through his inane hand motions to his guards behind her, had not changed since he was a younger man. He was impatient with his feet tapping, nervous through his shaking shoulders and thoughtful through his severe gazes at Danielle. He wasn't a person Danielle wanted to murder with at least twenty other people behind her, but if she was by herself, had nothing to lose and would not care, she could easily see herself slitting Hanks' throat from ear to ear.

Pushed forward to see Hanks, Danielle saw that he wasted no time in stating his purpose. "So, they tell me you're a talented singer," he stated, as if it were a repugnant fact.

Laugher escaped from Danielle's lips. "Is that all you needed me for?" she asked, relieved in many ways. "You could have just asked me and not dragged me here, Commander Hanks. I could have put on a show for you without a problem."

"One more comment out of you without my permission and I'll break my word and kill you slowly," Hanks warned, his eyes telling Danielle that it was no empty threat. "Now, I heard through some channels that you used to work at Phineas Teller's bar. Is that so?"

"Yes, Sir, but it was years before."

"They also say that you can come up with a song on the spot sometimes. Is that right too?"

"I can say that is true. Sometimes, I just sang what I wrote beforehand too."

"Then, prove it to me." Hanks pointed to the furniture covered with a sheet. "Play me a song and make it sound original."

Danielle gulped, walking over to where Hanks pointed and pulled the sheet, revealing a dusty piano and seat. Staring at it, she thought. She hadn't done what Hanks was demanding since she was a teenager. It had been long before her marriage to Leon Ellis, in a faraway place and time which would never come back to life. However, she had to do something. Hanks was treating this as if it were a life and death situation. It might as well be, by the way things were going, and might mean the end of her family too if she did nothing. She had to obey or die.

Carefully sitting down, Danielle played with a few keys, remembering how to work a melody from childhood lessons from her mother and grandmother, and worked out a phrase in her head. She looked at Hanks, meeting the same steely eyes, and went back to the piano keys. Then, she glided her fingers through a song she knew to be recycled, something she recalled Vinnie humming to her one night many years before, and started singing.

_I keep going to the river to pray,  
Cause I need something  
That can wash out the pain.  
And at most, I'm sleeping  
All these demons away.  
But your ghost, the ghost of you,  
It keeps me awake._

_My friends had you figured out.  
Yeah, they saw what's inside of you.  
You tried hidin' another you,  
But your evil was coming through_

_These eyes sitting on the wall,  
They watch every move I make.  
Bright light livin' in the shade,  
Your cold heart makes my spirit shake._

_Ooh, I had to go through hell  
To prove I'm not insane.  
Had to meet the devil  
Just to know his name.  
And that's when my love was burning,  
Yeah, it's still burning._

_I keep going to the river to pray,  
Cause I need something  
That can wash out the pain.  
And at most, I'm sleeping  
All these demons away.  
But your ghost, the ghost of you,  
It keeps me awake_

_Each time that I think you go,  
I turn around and you're creeping in.  
And I let you another skin  
Cause I love living in the sin._

_Oh, you never told me  
True love was gonna hurt.  
True pain, its own desert,  
True face that I never learned._

_Ooh, I keep going to the river to pray,  
Cause I need something  
That can wash out the pain.  
And at most, I'm sleeping  
All these demons away.  
But your ghost, the ghost of you,  
It keeps me awake._

_Give up the ghost.  
Stall the haunting baby.  
Give up the ghost.  
No more haunting baby.  
I keep going to the river…_

_I keep going to the river to pray,  
Cause I need something  
That can wash out the pain.  
And at most, I'm sleeping  
All these demons away.  
But your ghost, the ghost of you,  
It keeps me awake._

Danielle stopped singing, belting out an appealing ending on the piano before stopping. She turned confidently back to Hanks, expecting some sort of negative comment. However, his reaction seemed a little more calculating than anything else. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, as if the sight was pleasing to him, and motioned to some of his men. After quietly conferring with some of them (something Danielle was dying to listen in on), Hanks turned to Danielle, but directed the words at his men.

"Get her a haircut, get her some makeup and find the clothes Roberta left behind," Hanks ordered promptly. "She'll fit the bill perfectly. Besides, I think she'll be our weekend entertainment for the time being, before something better comes along."

"What…?" Danielle had no words and didn't have time to react. She felt herself being yanked from the piano seat in the office and down the hallway, shoved into a dressing room and left to rest on her knees with her back to the door as it slammed shut behind her.

Danielle studied the room before her, cold and drafty as the rest of the place. Before her, there was just a seat with a mirror, some old makeup in a case and dresses in hangers in a closet next to it. Behind her, someone knocked on the door, possibly for the haircut Hanks had ordered. Danielle did not answer and allowed the person in without saying a word. She folded her hands, as if in the prayer motion her grandmother had taught her as a child, and felt the cold steel on her neck as locks of red and white hair were cut away in a stylish way.

Within minutes, Danielle followed through the same motions she went through as a teenager, seeing herself alone for the first time in a long time (with perhaps a guard at the door to ensure her compliancy). Putting herself before the mirror, she looked at her reflection, aware of the many flaws her body betrayed in the more than ten years she was away from the stage life and being a mother. She then pulled out the dresses in the closet, tossing one after another on the floor until she found the least seductive one (which wasn't much better than the others, she noticed). As she slid her own clothes off, she put it on, adjusting it here and there, and sat before the mirror, applying makeup she knew would cake her face like a clown. Soon satisfied with her appearance and not at all like the nearly thirty-year-old she was, Danielle walked out of the dressing room, allowing her captors to take her back downstairs.

Leading her to another piano just off of the dance floor, Danielle found herself surrounded by a million eyes that watched her every move. She cleared her throat, wishing for a glass of water to quench her dry throat, and walked over to her seat. She waited for the lights to dim some more, cracking her knuckles as she thought back to another song her brother had taught her year before. When her fingers decided to be brave and work the song out, she sang softly at first, but louder as the others called for it and sang along the ending with her.

_Simona, wish I was sober,  
So, I could see clearly now.  
The rain has gone._

_Simona, I guess it's over.  
My memory plays our tune  
The same old song_

_I would call you up  
Every Saturday night  
And we'd both stay out  
Until the morning light.  
And we sang, "Here We Go Again".  
And though time goes by,  
I will always be in a club  
With you in 1973,  
Singing, "Here We Go Again"._

_And though time goes by,  
I will always be in a club  
With you in 1973…_


	50. Picking Up the Pieces

Although everyone had seen or heard what happened earlier that evening, they didn't plan any rescue. Everything remained as normal as possible, each to their own activities until bedtime, which had been late for everyone. Even then at the late midnight hour, Danielle had yet to appear. The only life seemed to be a few miles away, where the lights and noises were every weekend. Otherwise, the mutants of the ghetto faded away into the darkness, afraid of their own shadows as they followed the curfew and disappeared into their homes, the time ticking closer to the next day. Even the night shift of guards were following the routine, seeming bored as their glances longingly were pointed to the commotion.

Xavier, Magneto and Hank had opted to stay behind, trying to help Logan round the children up and get them to bed (or even within eyesight, for safety's sake). Devon had appeared out of nowhere around eleven, disheveled and distracted by something, but escorting Rogue back upstairs kindly enough before coming back to see Logan. Although annoyed, Logan could not fault the nineteen-year-old for having his own life. However, Devon's sharp glance at him said volumes. He might have heard what happened and was blaming Logan for everything.

Ororo and Matthew had gathered in the kitchen, picking at some leftovers and trying to keep the atmosphere light with announced midnight snacks, but nothing deterred the younger kids from asking questions. Although getting along better, Michael and Riley peppered Logan with so many inquiries about their mother that even Hank was annoyed. Eventually, after feeding Daken a bottle and putting him in the crib by the bed in the living room, Logan had enough and ordered the two to bed. Although receiving the usual pouts, the two obeyed, saying good night to everyone before going to their beds, possibly staying awake to eavesdrop on the adults' conversations.

Logan could hardly care less is those two speculated theories and heard things to prove or debunk them. As long as they were out of the way, he could think more clearly. He could worry about one less thing, knowing the kids were safely in bed, and not have to show everyone that he was a caring man. Ororo even came over to him as he was sitting at the dining room table after the fight to go to bed, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"You're doing a pretty good job for someone not used to this," she said, trying to joke around.

Logan brushed the hand away. "Some days, I wonder."

"No, Logan, you're doing great."

"Yeah, some father I am."

"You're getting used to it. That's all anyone could ask for. I'm sure Danielle appreciates everything you've done for her."

"She's handled everything for the most part. I handle the worst of it, when she's too tired and I can't stand that she's falling asleep on her feet."

"But she never complains?"

Logan shook his head.

"Don't you think she would have said something if she had a problem?" Ororo asked him.

"No," Logan replied. "She's changed, Storm. She's changed a lot and you have yet to see it."

"She's a private person," Ororo admitted. "Nobody knows her very well and she smiles even when she has a knife stuck in her back. I think you're the only person she's opened up to. I don't think she even told Jean and myself everything. That says a lot, since we knew her longer and guided her the best we could."

"I doubt it. I'm sure there's always something wrong."

Ororo saw that she was getting nowhere with Logan. She moved away slowly, trying to make it natural as everyone milled in and out of the dining room with their late dinners or the snacks made, but eventually hid in the bedroom around the corner. She undressed, taking advantage of the fact that Teller and Matthew were not around to make comments (although she liked Matthew more and more and did not mind his), and entered the kitchen, watching Logan stare out the window. As Teller and Matthew entered the bedroom to get ready for bed, she watched Xavier, who wheeled himself over, soon got Logan's attention, hopefully for the best.

"She'll come back," Xavier pointed out to Logan. "They promised."

"Promises mean nothing, Professor," Logan said sharply. "You and I know that. What does a word mean, when all we receive are broken ones?"

"Because you need to have the faith that it will work out in the end," Xavier replied confidently. "Because you need to keep that for the children, so they would have the same confidence you do and move on. They need you as their strength when the worst happens."

"Do you know how many times I've already thought I lost Danielle?" Logan asked Xavier bluntly. "You know how many times I've had to hold her, make sure that she was real, and ask myself if she was alive? You know how tired I am that she has been a target for many years now and I was never there to protect her? That I've had to see the results of their work and never know how to start on the next step in recovery? That I left her in her time of need and others picked up the pieces I left behind?"

Xavier had to concede that Logan had a few good points and he emphasized with him. He recalled many times before too, when he had to bail Danielle out of a few things and pick up the pieces that something left behind. Some of them were her fault, he knew, and were part of her growing up as she did. Some of it was out of her control and had to be swept under a rug before it became a problem. However, he had to also agree that Storm, Scott and Jean also had turbulent childhoods too, all of the starting in the first wave of mutant hatred. Danielle was just the first true victim, all the name of keeping them all safe.

"Then, consider this the new beginning," Xavier urged. "An ending means a new beginning. Everyone goes through the stages, Logan. Sometimes, it comes and goes many times, like an ocean wave. But there's always a way to get out of it. You've realized for the first time in your life that you've found someone you could trust and spend whatever years left to her with you. People have always wanted Danielle dead, Logan, but if that was to happen, that would have happened years ago. She's a survivor."

Magneto snorted behind Xavier, mumbling something about love being a poisonous disease that eats at the soul and slowly consumes it until death. While Xavier shot him an uncharacteristically annoyed look that said volumes, Hank nodded. Logan almost rubbed his eyes when he saw an agreement between Hank and Magneto, but did not need to. Xavier turned his wheelchair around to look at his two oldest friends harshly, his lips a tight line across his face.

"I can't argue, Charles," Hank said plainly. "Erik has a point."

"We only had to share the same woman to find that out," Magneto added, laughing.

"What?" Logan looked at the three strangely, but a pit in his stomach told him something that he probably wasn't supposed to know.

Xavier turned his wheelchair around again. "Mystique. She was like a sister to me and even came with me willingly to work with the CIA before Cuba."

"Are you serious?" Devon asked. Logan forgot that he was there, scowling as the curious young adult searched for more scandalous details.

"Don't you have a bed to warm elsewhere?" Logan asked Devon, annoyance lining his voice.

"Not if I have someone else watching us," Devon replied smartly.

"Out of here," Logan ordered in a growl.

Devon did not move. He seemed to have heard something that the others had missed. His eyes followed a shadow walking by the windows, finally easing his way the door. He opened it, waiting for their visitor, and turned the lights on, sitting in the back hallway. Logan was fascinated, getting out of his chair and following Devon, curious without his senses. When he arrived though, he saw Danielle walk through the back door. Words could not describe the homecoming, but Logan stopped in his tracks before even saying a greeting.

Instead, Logan saw Devon make the first move, as he thought the young adult should. Saying hello, Devon slowly went over and hugged Danielle gently, saying how glad he was to see her. Danielle buried her face into Devon's chest (which was about level with her head anyway), saying nothing. She tolerated it for a few more minutes before Devon let go, saying that he had to go upstairs. Then, Logan and Danielle watched him, a guard at the top to ensure his arrival inside the upstairs apartment, and eyed each other with different views. It was like they were two different people again, Logan thought, and that he had to start over again.

"Hey," Danielle finally said to Logan, almost like a breath of fresh air.

"Hey." Logan reached over for his embrace, but Danielle flinched away.

"Please," she begged. "Give me a day to shake this off. _Please_."

"They didn't –" Logan began.

"No." The word seemed solid, final and the truth.

Danielle did not want to talk anymore. She passed Logan and went inside, but not before Logan saw what made her a little twitchy. She was dressed like a doll, he noticed for the first time. Her hair had been cut to her shoulders and had been hair sprayed to make it stay still, all of it so unlike her. Makeup made her too artificial, like she was a painting and not a human. A dress he had never seen before graced her body and was worn almost like she was a sex figure, never to be touched and meant to be seen.

Logan tensed up, realizing what happened. Danielle had been used as a tool. She may never had been touched, much as Peter Ellis had done to her many months before, but she had been used in other ways. What they were, he could easily imagine, but he would not press for details now. Tomorrow was another day and the day after another chance. She would talk eventually.

Entering the apartment and closing the door behind him, Logan watched the greetings Danielle received. She said nothing to everyone (even Ororo), only stating that she would need to shower. She went to the living room, briefly seeing Michael, Riley and Daken as they slept, and gathered some of her own clothes. She then went to the sink just outside the bathroom, dropping her clean clothes on top of the washer next to her and finding some cold crème. As the others returned to bed or to their own apartments (Hank, Xavier and Magneto saying good night), Logan watched Danielle. She rubbed the white substance on her face, allowing it to set before she took a wash cloth and wet it with warm water, wiping her face clean. Streaks of beige and blue stained the cloth and soon the sink as Danielle wrung it out carefully, turning on the water to rinse it away.

When she was finished, Danielle glanced at Logan, her face raw from the scrubbing. She walked over to him and gently hugged him, leaning her head against his neck. Logan returned the embrace, surprised that Danielle even wanted intimacy, but soon released her. He put his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked her, unsure of what else to say.

Logan felt a deep releasing of weight underneath his hands, from the way Danielle's shoulders went up and down. "I'm fine," Danielle confirmed, her lower lip quivering. "They took me to town. They had me dress up and play."

Logan knew what Danielle meant. "Why don't you shower before the water is turned off?"

"I will." Danielle shrugged Logan's hands off of her and turned around, taking her clothes and heading into the bathroom. She locked the door behind her, which would surely annoy the guard coming in tonight, but Logan was not concerned about that.

No, he was more concerned about Danielle more than anything else. He was grateful that she was alive, no doubt about it. That she came back the way she did was no shocker. However, the ability to not feel what she was feeling still bothered Logan, who had gotten used to feeling so close when she was so far away. He went to the door, hoping to hear something that would betray anything Danielle was thinking. He did not have the hearing he used to, but Logan was sure he would get something.

After some minutes, no water was still running. Logan strained his ears to listen and tried discerning one noise from another, frustrated that he no longer had those abilities. He soon figured out what was going on though, aching to do anything for Danielle, and knowing that he could not. He then strolled away from the door, heading to bed slowly with one fact in mind.

Danielle was crying…and there was no way to wipe away the tears this time.

* * *

**It got so late last night, I forgot to credit the lyrics from the previous chapter. The first was Ella Henderson's "Ghost" and the last Jame Blunt's "1973". And as always, if you have concerns, please let me know. Thank you!**


	51. Here We Go Again

The upstairs had been a little busy by the next morning. Although the couples had been trying to cram in some private time when they could (Devon swearing that he would kill Roger the first chance he got for the noise last night), they still ate breakfast together in the dining room in relative peace. Although in silence for the most part, since the guard was there for the morning shift before more came in, Devon was able to sneak a seat between Rogue and Hank and reach for a piece of bacon. Although there had been some scrambled eggs in a bowl, Devon was too used to not eating and could hardly care less if he starved for the day. Saving as much food for the others was more important.

Rogue was appreciative that Devon came to sit with her. She beamed as his hard gaze fell on her, pulling some white hair to the side to show him her appreciate looks. Devon's heart was beating faster with the attention, but on the outside, he scowled. Rogue was used to him bring so harsh, he reasoned. He had been distant and rough, telling her about the hard world they lived in, but he was feeling that Bobby was right. He was still a child, with a child's thoughts and intentions, and had pondered upon nothing more than revenge.

It was too sweet, Devon knew. He nibbled on his piece of bacon, excusing himself from the table quickly before running back into the attic. He wanted to change into something lighter than the usual black uniforms that they were given, something less bleak and depressing. He found nothing that fit the bill though, seeing that the guards had taken away some of their other clothes without their knowing again. Sighing, he decided it was better to be downstairs with his parents, thinking it saner to stay with his siblings and not run the risk of molesting Rogue in front of everyone, but stopped himself. Voices were heard behind him, in the other room, and that made him creep closer to the door. Peeping around the corner, Devon saw Kitty and Peter Rasputin.

Honestly, Devon thought that he was alone in his endeavors and didn't mean to intrude. Seeing the two former lovers finally meet alone was something different though. Deciding that perhaps it was the best idea to wait and listen instead of running out to reveal himself, Devon crouched down behind the doorway and ensured no shadows were cast. Best that he made them think nobody was there, he told himself. Best that those two never know that he was now witnessing the next stage in the untold drama.

Devon knew that he came in on the wrong end of the conversation, trying to think back to anything that would indicate they came to this point and finding nothing. With Kitty's hands on her hips and Colossus himself crossing his arms in stubbornness, Devon could not tell if they were just lovers in the middle of a fight or strangers that butted heads randomly on the streets. It seemed like one almost interchanged with the other.

"You can say you love me all you want, Peter," Kitty said defensively, "but that love will never be returned. It's over now, _been_ over. I don't where you have been."

"Trying to defend our borders," Peter replied, his towering figure intimidating the smaller Kitty. "Your little child's play isn't making anything better, I have to say."

"What play?" Kitty froze, her arms falling limply to her side.

"It seems like Bobby isn't the only person who thinks Rogue will be swayed by pretty words. You should think better about that. After all that Rogue went through, do you think apologies and being nice would undo years of harm? Honestly, you lied to me about everything, Kitty, and worse, you took another girl's boyfriend from under her nose and watched her get ruined. We mutually parted, yes, but splitting to another man immediately afterward is an entirely different story."

"I did not!"

"You did…and Bobby allowed you to. Your actions brought him to where he is now, as well as yours. While I am happy for you and would do anything to make your marriage to Bobby happen, I will always tell you how much I still care for you. Anything you do for Rogue is on her, although I am sure she will never be comforted by you again. You can't hold it against her that she took solace someplace else though, where it was offered to her."

"Devon is just a child, Peter. Can't you see that?"

Peter regarded Kitty for a moment. "Yes, he is a child. He's younger than all of us and put up with more than we had. If you watched your parents' murder, how would you feel?"

"Mine rejected me. They might as well be dead to me."

"And mine had to send me away to keep me safe. Russia isn't a safe country, Kitty. Neither is here. Playing with someone is about the same as those humans torturing us like this."

"You can't chalk me up to them. Not now, not _ever_."

"Then, don't –"

"Don't what, Peter?" Bobby entered the room, perhaps wondering where Kitty was and hearing the argument.

"What do you know, comrade?" Peter asked Bobby, trying to leave. "Mind your business. Whatever Kitty wants to tell you, she'll tell you in her own time."

"Whatever you have to say to Kitty, you can say to me too," Bobby replied, making that the final decision. He wasn't going to budge, Devon noticed, and that wasn't making the situation much better.

"Fine." Peter uncrossed his arms, trying to appear as calm as possible, since it now involved a team instead of individuals. "You really want to know what we're arguing about?"

"Yeah, I would." Bobby's blue eyes almost seemed like ice, he was that cold in his manner.

"I'll say this once and never again," Peter declared, unwilling to bend. "I don't know why Kitty can't comprehend this, comrade, but I'll try it by you. The first thing is, I love her and always will. I'll do anything to make her happy, including seeing her with another man and backing away. You can have her, for all I care. The second thing involves Rogue."

"She made her own bed," Bobby began.

"That shouldn't matter," Peter retorted, his Russian accent more punctuated when he was angry. "None of it should. She went to great lengths to make you happy, to touch you and not feel like she was different from everyone else. That plan backfired. And I watched you, Bobby, watched you very carefully. It was a slow torture for Rogue, but you kept pushing her away and going for Kitty, who was with me at the time. Yes, we broke up the relationship at the same time, but I saw the interaction even before you two were a couple. From the Danger Room to now, you've been nothing but a thorn in the side. Maybe it was better we stayed away in Canada and ran when we could. We were most certainly happy not to feel the pain, even though you're all a great asset when we came down to helping us in the same cause. But this isn't about me, comrade. This is all about us and the bigger picture in general.

"We are all the same, comrade. We're all humans, if it came down to it. We made of the same genes, blood and sweat. What our daily lives come down to is what we do to make that a little easier in the time given to us, especially when it comes how we treat each other. You want to say that Jubilee and her gossiping helped to take Rogue down? Fine. You want to say that her taking that cure and becoming human momentarily was her fault? Fine. But the way you treated her along the way, especially when she came back excited to touch you was nothing more than despicable. You were no better than the rioters who burned mutants for enjoyment or the camp guards who made you and I bury dead children, killed because of a silly mistake on our parts.

"We all make mistakes, Bobby. We always do. That's what makes me so human. But don't take that time given to you before death to make false promises and never take the time to think out your amends. You and Kitty can talk to Rogue all you want. What words you use will make the ending you want. Do you want her to think you're just doing this to seem like a good guy? Or do you want her thinking that you still care for you and are sorry?"

"Devon –" Kitty tried interjecting.

"Has nothing to do with it," Peter confirmed. "Leave him alone, Kitty. Devon has his own demons, just like the rest of us do, and he doesn't need the added drama from you to make his life more miserable than it already is. He has plenty of responsibilities and luckily has parents who love him enough to support what he has to do."

"I wouldn't exactly call Logan a parent," Bobby observed quietly, for once sounding chastised by what Peter said.

"I wouldn't either," Kitty volunteered.

"Nobody would," Peter conceded. "Logan's doing the best he can, I hear. Things weren't smooth for him either, from what I've heard. I wouldn't rely on rumors though and would go to the source, if I were you. Some of the things said are as nasty as those about Rogue."

"Oh, about Danielle Ellis?" Bobby asked.

"Mitchell," Peter corrected.

"She changed her name?" Kitty was confused.

"Maiden name, I heard," Peter confirmed. "That does not matter though. They are a happy family, from what I've seen, and aren't the people think them are. They are strong and dedicated. They support everyone in everything they do. They don't take shit either."

"What kind of love story is that?" Bobby inquired jokingly. "It sounds kinda lame."

"We don't know that." Kitty took Bobby's hand into hers, her manner just as frosty as Bobby's. "Peter, thank you for saying what you did. I'm sure we'll consider everything you've said."

_I doubt it, bitch._ Devon did not like Kitty's obnoxious tone and did not think she would do what she said she would.

Devon watched as Kitty and Bobby left. He heard Peter sigh, as if a heavy load was off of his already large shoulders, and noticed that he was now slipping down against the wall, sitting up. Peter then reached over for his sketch pad, something allowed to him still, and drew something. Devon did not watch enough to see what his hand made and only knew when it ended some minutes later. Although Devon knew that he spent enough time watching Peter, he still could not peel his eyes away after the drawing was finished. Finally, he saw Peter rip the paper off of the pad and walk over to his room.

Immediately, Devon backed away, hiding behind the old dresser in the room. He did not see what Peter did in the room, but he knew that he came in and left just as quickly. When Devon heard the footsteps move away and then recede, he got up and tried seeing what was so different about the room. He glanced around generally for a few minutes, still searching for what Peter did by the time Rogue came around. While she normally had been a worrisome person lately, she was most certainly a sight for sore eyes, Devon decided. Abandoning his mission, he went over to her and took her into his arms, kissing her on the lips.

Rogue returned the sentiment. It was great, Devon decided, and he went further, even going as far as snapping the bra apart from the back to feel her breasts. Rogue bent back to feel Devon's hands on her, but soon was backing away as soon as they both heard a guard outside their door clear his throat. Rogue put the hooks back on her bra and stared at first the guard and then Devon sheepishly. She then tried walking out of the room, but stepped on something that crinkled. She picked it up, seeing that it was a paper with a drawing on it. She then oohed and ahhed over it, begging Devon to come see it.

"What do I need to see a stupid drawing for?" Devon demanded, annoyed that perhaps Rogue found what Peter had left.

"Just come here." Exasperated, Rogue showed the guard first, just in case he had any ideas and was getting curious, and waited until Devon saw it too. Even he had to admit that it was pretty amazing, with the detail and skill in there, and would thank Peter for it later.

It was just a picture of the two of them as a couple. While it was not provocative in any way, Devon saw that Peter put so much work into such a simple drawing of the two of them, simply living in the moment and being in love.


	52. Do It for Yourself

Later that evening, Rogue sat under the grapevines alone. She watched the dull activity around her carefully, noting how small the crowds were tonight, and sighed. It had been a sweet day with Devon, she decided, even though she heard some of it was nasty and about her too, which made it worse. However, even she had to agree with everyone in the house. This place was like walking on eggshells. You didn't know when they were going to crack, if at all. You just knew that the ending wasn't going to be pretty and that death was certain.

Rogue wrestled with her mortality for a long time and finally accepted it, knowing that being who she was meant just that. She could look over to Logan with the neighbor, trying not to smoke a cigar as the neighbor did in his face, and see how eternity could be a burden just for him alone. She recalled Logan talking about it too, feeling that he could never escape life like a normal person could and die in peace like the people around him could. Now, Rogue figured, he could if he tried before the eventual end came anyway. Right now, even as she thought about Logan dying, seeing him trying to quit smoking his trademark cigars was making her cringe, even if that was going to make him sicker than he was.

In her heart, Rogue always cared for Logan. He saved her life many times. She accidentally sucked his essence into her when she came into his bedroom and at Liberty Island and would always feel him, being a part of her and all. However, she thanked whoever was up there that her childish crush on him passed and that, for now, she could not feel him (or anyone else she touched). She had been so focused on Bobby during all of the confusion that she didn't have time to study Logan and think about him. However, if he was available and she wasn't with Devon, she wouldn't pass up the chance to be with him, to be honest.

Rogue had been so stuck in her daydreaming that she didn't notice Bobby come up and sit next to her. When he cleared his throat, she was soon turned to him sharply. She did not bother to hide her aggravation. Ever since hearing about this morning's conversation (and it was something she didn't have to hear from Devon either), she was not keen on seeing either Kitty or Bobby. She wanted to thank Peter for everything he said though and just disregard the rest.

Turning back towards Logan's direction and watching that action, Rogue ignored Bobby, unsure of what else to say or do to the man she used to love. Bobby sat in silence, wondering what to say or do to get Rogue's attention, but soon decided on the simplest of pleas. His blue eyes turned to the back of her head, eying the white and brown hair he used to play with and love to twist in his fingers.

"Rogue, _please_," Bobby begged. "Can we talk?"

Rogue immediately turned back to Bobby, her eyes colder than his. "What's there to say, Bobby? We have nothing left between us. You have your tagalong with you everywhere. You and _she_ can always discuss it later."

"About what? Kitty's not here."

"Yeah, she is…and she's nearby. Isn't she?"

Bobby had to concede that, nodding and feeling embarrassed by the revelation. Kitty decided on hanging around the house's back hallway, watching him through a window as someone folded clothes behind her. She didn't want to leave him alone, wanting to see the play-by-play action, even if she couldn't see it. Already, her face was disgusted in such a way that told Bobby that she thought Rogue immature, just by what happened alone. That would get her worked up and talking about Rogue for weeks now, mostly complaining. Bobby could not understand it. Kitty was so sure on reconciling. Now, so close to the person they needed to talk to, she was different, like her personality – as well as her opinion – changed.

"See? You can't live without her." Rogue crossed her arms defensively.

"I can," Bobby protested. "You don't know what happened to us down there."

Rogue snorted. "Really, Bobby? You surprise me. It's probably not as bad as being chased by Sentinels and watching a battle break before you. It's not like you had to help carry a pregnant woman for miles and cater to children who are tired of being told to shut up and couldn't be quiet for long."

"They're Devon's little brothers. You're gonna have to deal with that, _sugar_."

"Don't be fastidious with me, Bobby. You started it all by being that way."

"You didn't have to appease me, you know."

"When I hear that you were tired of not touching me and not taking the next step of our former relationship, I had to do something. I loved you, Bobby, a long time ago. That's all done now. Can't you accept that?"

"Well, I want to make amends."

"Some time _you_ chose to do that. You could have done something long before we went into that damned camp. You know, before your rumors and Kitty's gossip ruined everything."

"We didn't –"

Rogue stood up abruptly, interrupting Bobby. "I don't give a shit what you were trying to do. What I saw were the results. You did _nothing_ for me when I needed you. How can I expect you to do the same, when you mock Devon and continue to ruin me?"

"Rogue, you know I didn't mean for you to get hurt."

"Yeah, well, you did enough of that, didn't you?"

Bobby wasn't seeing a way to get past the impasse here. He felt that they were rehashing some old things. Some of it he felt was his fault, yes, and Rogue had a right to bring up a past they never discussed. Now, some years after the fact, the events that played out keep coming back to haunt him. From the day Rogue came into his history class, when Storm was teaching about early Christianity, to now, it seemed like a long and bump road for them. They were forever going to be locked into each other's lives and nothing was going to stop it.

Indeed, Bobby was seeing that Rogue would always be a part of his life. Now, he was hoping that she would accept that and stay to talk to him, even if he didn't love her the same way anymore.

"No, I didn't," Bobby admitted. "I didn't think about it. I only knew that I was slowly falling out of love with you and seeing Kitty more and more."

"And you think she didn't take advantage of that?" Rogue asked, challenging Bobby to what seemed like a duel.

"No," Bobby agreed. "It was rotten of me…_us_…to do this. I mean, it started with me. But didn't you listen to me and Kitty the first time around, when we talking in the same spot we're in right now?"

"You all want to be friends," Rogue said in a mocking manner. "Yeah, I did. Does it mean I forgive you? No. Does it mean I'll forget? Never. But never in a million years will I take you by the hand and call you a friend, even if we are allies in this war. You can kiss everything we ever had goodbye."

Tired of talking with Bobby, Rogue got up and left, wanting to go back inside and feel warmth. She wanted to see Devon, to realize that everything was still real and that she still was loved. She wanted to know that her feelings would always be considered and that she would never be ridiculed. Leaving with her arms crossed still, she walked across the driveway, feeling every eye from the guards stare at her in interest, and suddenly felt that she was being pulled. Bobby had grabbed her arm, to try and turn her around, and she faced him, but it was with more hatred that anyone had ever seen out of Rogue.

"Let go of me," Rogue ordered sternly.

"Rogue –" Bobby began.

"I said, let go of me!" Rogue pulled her arm away from Bobby. "Fuck off!"

By then, the yelling got more than the guards' attention and was becoming a problem, especially when they were thinking of loading and shooting as the two continued to argue. While talking with the generous neighbor had been a distraction, Logan had even perked is ears when he heard Rogue screaming at Bobby. He immediately said his goodbyes to Dave and kicked up his heels, listening to Bobby plead with Rogue to listen to him. By then, she was crying and swearing and he was on his knees and begging. All the while, the two had not noticed that they were becoming targets.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Logan stopped before the pair, pulling Bobby up to a standing position and holding him by the back of his shirt collar. "You, get out and leave her alone. Lady says fuck off, you fuck off."

"But –" Bobby tried once more.

"I don't give a shit what you think, kid." Logan's tone had turned a little menacing. "You and her are history. She doesn't want to deal with you, go. You're making this worse and making the guards trigger-happy."

Logan let go of Bobby and shoved him away. He then watched the guards prudently, not caring where Bobby went and why. He saw some of them put their weapons away, but a lot of them still eyed with warily, like a riot was about to start because two people fought over their break-up. Deciding it was better to be a human shield than to see Rogue shot at, Logan put himself in front of Rogue and held her, allowing her to put her head on his shoulder for comfort.

"What you were thinking?" Logan asked Rogue quietly.

"I wasn't," Rogue admitted, sounding miserable. "He just came up to me and it started. I didn't mean to cause trouble."

Logan muttered something about it being advantageous to be away from negative people and situations, but Rogue didn't really hear all of it. These days, Logan had been better at concealing what he was thinking. She remembered a time when he spoke his mind, didn't plan things out and kept a mysterious air, just so that people left him alone. Nowadays, claiming four kids as his own (and one of them biologically his), protecting everyone and fighting several fronts of a war was taking a toll on him. This thing with Bobby was something he was surely upset about and something that Logan would worry about. It made Rogue guilty to even think about it.

"Gotta be careful next time," Logan warned, his eyes turned momentarily to check on the guards before swiveling back. "It's gonna take some time to get used to things being the way they are. I understand how tough it is to see someone who hurt you. Trust me, I can. Just try not to explode on him, ok?"

"I can't help it, Logan," Rogue replied. "He helped to destroy who I used to be."

"Yeah, well, sometimes you just need to remember who you were and build it from there."

"Personal experience?"

"You can say that. There's also so many people who had to change who they were because something like this changed them."

"Like your wife, right?"

Logan bit his tongue, minding the men with the guns behind them. He wanted to correct everyone about Danielle not being his wife, but even she was taking it in stride and laughing about it. However, they were too careful these days, especially with people who wanted to pull families away from each other. They had been lucky to be together and not apart, like Mae was from Gil. Saying a woman was your wife was inviting trouble, especially from the guys behind them.

"You can ask Danielle all you want, if she's willing to talk," Logan said, to make the awkward moment a little smoother. "She's a private person. Nobody knew much about her until recently and I'm damned sure she'd like to keep it that way."

"She said something about being a traitor," Rogue replied, trying to test the waters. "I've heard rumors some years ago, when she was pregnant with Riley."

"And those should stay where they belong." Logan let go of Rogue, brushing a random tear from her face. "The truth is a lot more interesting than the lies. I had to find that out myself too."

Rogue stood by Logan for a moment more, wishing there was something else he could say. Everything he ever done for her meant a lot, even now. But today, even at her lowest point, which she found to be even with the time in the camp, she was seeing that, more than ever before, she had to stick with people who cared about her. It might take some time for Bobby to say the words to apologize to her and even years for her to forgive him and Kitty. However, there were always some wounds that are never going to heal and some that might close and become scars forever.

Coughing, Logan pointed to the house. "Head inside, Rogue. I'll be behind you."

"You been smoking again?" Rogue asked him, obeying the order and trying to be jovial when she felt anything but that.

"Breathing in seems to be worse than smoking it," Logan admitted, walking with Rogue to the house. "Do me a favor though."

"What is it?" Rogue felt a lump in her throat. Logan never asked much of her.

Logan stopped, Rogue with him. "Don't let this consume you. It's dragged out enough and for what, two years or so? I know it hurts to see him with another woman and one that causes some trouble. Just remember that they had different struggles and yours isn't the only tragedy here."

This time, it was Rogue who managed to keep her sarcastic comments to herself. "I can try, Logan. No promises though."

Logan smiled, hugging Rogue one more time. "Do it for yourself, Rogue. Not just for closure, but for your future. Without a future, you have nothing. And what is your life when you have nothing?"


	53. Around in Another Circle

Mae had been doing some laundry inside, rotating wet and dry clothes and folding the rest to avoid thinking of their situation and her son, most of all. It was difficult rotating the clothes and folding, doing it for everyone (she had been getting older, she realized), but with so little in the way of laundry and only six loads max that needed doing once a week, it was a clinch. However, her routine was too interrupted when Bobby and Kitty came out to the back hallway, whispering about something. Mae caught bits and pieces of their conversation, but pieced together that Bobby was going to try and talk to Rogue again and Kitty was going to be watching from the window near Mae.

_Oh, for God's sake! These adults are acting more like children these days._

Remaining as invisible as she could, Mae took a deep breath and continued working, hearing the door close and a step ladder creek as Kitty climbed one and observed the events outside. After a while and Mae sneaking peeks too (mostly at Kitty and her reactions), Bobby came back inside. Mae went back to her work and pretended to be not obvious. However, it was too easy to listen to those two talk about what happened. It seemed that Logan intercepted Rogue and Bobby when the former told the latter off and the guards started getting antsy and wanted to shoot. Last Bobby knew, Logan was still outside with Rogue.

"Leave them," Kitty declared, unable to believe what happened. "She can complain all she wants to Logan. We know the truth. Everything just happened."

"But it _didn't_, Kitty," Bobby replied, clearly frustrated with her. "It is my fault in many ways, including watching her fall into the flames and never come back out. If I broke up with her in a little way and one that wasn't so dramatic, it wouldn't be this way now. She was a victim of other circumstances we couldn't control and standing against her was something I am regretting. We talked about this though, before we came here. We _agreed_ to make amends and try and be pleasant. I just don't know why you seemed to have changed your mind."

"Trying to be nice is something we've _been_ doing," Kitty pointed out. "You can only do so much before you realize that it's useless."

"Maybe it's something we need to work on," Bobby observed. "A little bit at a time, I think. Rogue is still angry and she shows her animosity well."

"I saw that. So childish, I think."

"I can't blame her, Kitty, and neither should you. I'm trying to figure out a way to make things straight between us. I mean it."

"You still care about her."

"I care about you more." Bobby kissed Kitty, as if to reassure her of his love and to calm her down. "Peter has said his peace and will move on. That's his nature. We're going to move on in a different way because we know that he's _right_ too. Now, I know you and Rogue never really got along."

"Yeah, after that project she did with me and Jubilee in that AP Chemistry class, I didn't really see how you liked her. She was unmotivated, lazy and extremely rude."

"Regardless, put that aside. Put yourself in her shoes. Would you care to be called a traitor because of good intentions?"

"The road to hell is paved with them."

"Yes, we know that, but I think we should _think_ like her."

"Eww, really?"

"Yeah. I think it's time we study this a little more closely, practice a little more kindness and see if that works. Rogue is a sucker for people who are pleasant to be around."

"Supposedly, we weren't nice to her. Why makes you think we can change her mind?"

Bobby smiled, a winning one, if Kitty ever saw it and one that persuaded her to stay the course and not make more trouble. "You'll see. Let's discuss this upstairs."

Mae watched from the corner of her eye as Bobby and Kitty left. In a way, she was a little relieved with the conclusion. Finishing up the laundry, she took the basket and followed the couple upstairs and entered the apartment. She put the clothes basket down near the bottom of the stairs that led to the attic, hoping everyone was able to pick through the clean clothes, and went up the stairs herself, not seeing Kitty or Bobby anywhere there. She wanted to find Roger up there in their bedroom, feeling lucky when she did. Happiness soon turned to annoyance though when she saw Teller talking with Roger privately.

The two stopped talking when they saw Mae. "Ahh, here's my cue," Teller said jokingly, passing Mae. "I've got a date in a few minutes."

"What now?" Mae asked him in a taunting tone. "Some girl you corralled into some scheme Roger just found out about?"

Teller feigned incredulity as he stopped to chat. "Come now, Mae. You know me better than that. I took in whatever girls who came to me and hid them behind paperwork so nobody found them. I find it a favor to them, I think. Besides, this one isn't underage. She's my age at least."

"Well, that's a relief," Mae replied sarcastically.

"Mae, come off it," Roger ordered. "Teller's the only one inside the fence that has been getting information."

"And you haven't?" Mae was surprised.

"No, since we are watched so carefully," Roger pointed out. "I told my man in Brazil to send word that I was captured. He managed to escape when so many of us did not. It was just."

Mae knew the words were said to appease the guards downstairs and within earshot. But there was something about the dealings Roger had with Teller that bothered her. She knew that Roger dealt with Teller if he had to because of the distrust over the years. Teller had been underhanded and caused people to run down the wrong roads for the wrong reasons, which made so many wary of him. The two were conspiring something. She only had to learn it.

"I see." Mae lied in order to get to the bottom of the mystery. "Well, Teller, I hope your date goes better than expected."

"Ha! That's a funny one, Mae." Teller winked at her, as if they had an inside joke together. "We'll see what Lady Poison has in store for me. A little romance is nice, but being stabbed in the back seems a little more exciting."

"What?" Mae was alarmed.

"Go, Teller," Roger interjected, before the erroneous things were said. "Get out of here and get back to me when you can."

Teller obeyed, waving to Mae and saluting Roger mockingly. As soon as upstairs apartment door opened and closed though, Roger turned to Mae. His eyes were angry, Mae had to admit, but the fire was still there and it was all for her. He was hungry for Mae surely, although there was much more he had to say to her except to get in bed and he'd close the door. However, there was more, especially about Teller. Being agreeable to allies was probably one of them and one that she should know by now. Mae was also sure that Roger would talk about what's been happening and why she had been elected to be out of the loop until now.

Roger began first. "I cannot begin to stress to you the importance of everyone being together."

"You can't use every Tom, Dick and Harry you meet though," Mae pointed out sharply, tempted to follow with instinct first and ask questions later. "Teller was good for a cause. I didn't know you needed him for more than that."

"I need anything and anybody I can get my hands on," Roger replied tartly. "Besides, my dear wife, Teller has a date with someone who we think is on the other side and spying on us."

"What?" Mae was again alarmed.

"You heard me. We think someone was planted to woo Teller. However, we had some clues that told us otherwise. I'm trying to get Teller to see if she'll reveal herself, but I doubt it. However, getting extra food and good attention from the guards and twisting our biggest mouth around her little pinkie tells me something. We're all being watched, much more so than ever before. We're a wanted group, highly prized and on a list to be executed."

"You can't be serious."

"Mae, lower your voice. Yes, we're aimed for the executioner. We need to walk lighter than we've ever had to before."

"How long do you think we have?"

Roger considered the question for a minute. He had a feeling that this whole place was going up in flames anytime now. At this point, he didn't know when or how because of how quiet it's been. It could be tonight, tomorrow, next week, two years from now or even an eternity, when they're all dead anyway. Commander Hanks was a fickle man and one that always went with the times. Right now, the latest fads with mutants were stake burnings, prisons, camps, ghettos and even Sentinels. It could be any of the above that would kill them in the end.

"I can't say," Roger admitted, feeling weak and helpless for saying that to his wife and it wasn't the first time since this all began. "I think we have better fish to fry though. I'm sure we can have Teller's silence on many things, this included. Getting the spy out would help things greatly."

"How so, when you can't even tell me when we might die?" Mae asked, near to hysterics this time. "How is getting some…_girl_…out of the way a step in the right direction?"

"At this point, getting those so-called adults to stop acting like teenagers would be a better step in the right direction," Roger snapped. "Without a united front, we will all fall, even if it's as small as Rogue and Bobby. So, whatever grudges they have –"

"Can't be stopped," Mae interrupted, facing Roger braver than she ever had before. "It'll be a slow process, Roger, but I think one has it under control."

"Care to tell me something I don't know?" Roger raised his eyebrow in interest, hoping that their yelling did not concern the guard downstairs. He was also trying his best to keep his temper in check, before he exploded.

"Bobby tried talking to Rogue," Mae explained. "It seemed a few things went wrong and Logan luckily broke it up. Bobby is now trying to think up a new strategy."

"As if that would help us now," Roger moaned, soon dismissing their younger counterparts. "Right about now, I'd go to my study and pull a drink from my desk, but that's not going to happening. Think we'd have a few minutes to ourselves instead?"

"Roger!" Mae feigned astonishment. "I think we'll be scaring everyone away if we keep that up."

"They don't have much of a choice, do they?" Roger walked away from Mae and turned to a window in the room, keeping his back to her. "You know, I've been trying to calculate things, but none of it makes sense. Why keep us here? Why not make a show and get it over with, like some parade or battle to the death? We're more value alive, yes, but it doesn't mean alive for long."

Mae touched her back, where her wings used to be, and shuddered. "Roger, don't talk of things like that now. We're alive and that's all that matters, right?"

"For now, yes," Roger replied. "But who will they hassle next? They took Danielle for their new weekly shows, I heard. Will they find her weaknesses in the meantime, use Logan or the children? How will they humiliate her next?"

Roger did not want to tell Mae what happened to Gil just yet because his ordeals were just as bad. They had not seen him for some days now, which worried Mae, and there was a reason why. Teller had managed to get through the rumors, finding that Gil had been dragged out of his apartment by some youngsters from the Human Majority, who had been let in by the guards for their enjoyment. They had beaten Gil in the streets before his apartment building, leaving him for dead before some sympathetic and brave people from his home managed to drag him back inside, even though it was after their curfew. He was now recovering, but the injuries went too deep. Even in front of people he trusted, Gil will never talk to anyone again.

"They can't do this," Mae announced loudly. "They can't do this to her anymore. I don't stand for it."

That was what angered Roger the most, the denial and pain from a woman who would keep a promise, no matter what. He turned right around and wrapped his hands around Mae's wrists, to restrain her. She was surprised to see the abuse, but it had been nothing new, even before they were married. She looked up at Roger, her eyes threatening tears.

"You can't keep a promise this time, Mae," Roger stated plainly. "Shannon Mitchell is dead and has been for years because _she _wrapped the noose around her neck, not some human. She hadn't been able to protect her daughter and never had been. In the end, her own mutant curse and the depression did her in and she hung herself, saving Danielle a ton of trouble, I think. You can't negate it anymore."

"Danielle –" Mae started.

"I don't give a shit anymore, Mae!" Roger yelled. "You have to realize that Danielle is an adult who cannot save herself this time. She will always be known as a dangerous mutant, the famous wife of Senator Leon Ellis and a terrorist who destroyed camps. You can't wrap an arm around her and say it's ok anymore. No more sugarcoating. She has a family who needs her protection and she has a man who has her interests in mind."

"As if you cared about Logan to begin with," Mae retorted, trying to break free from Roger's grip.

"No, I don't," Roger conceded. "That shouldn't matter anymore either. He's here, their love is blind and they might die together…because they are next."

Mae stopped struggling. "What?" She sounded dumbfounded.

"Yes, they are," Roger confirmed. "I am more certain about it. They need to get through to her. That would make more sense. Once they get into her mind, they need to get into Logan's mind. It's a simple war everyone has used, but it'll do for them. And that's be the worst battle for them both. Psychological warfare is never fair, but when we're trying to destroy your enemy, there is never a better way."


	54. Why?

_**January 27, 2010**_

_I don't want to bore anyone with what's been happening in the last several months, save for a few things. Right now, I am sitting here in the living room on the bed under a blanket, watching Daken get into everything and driving Logan insane with his walking and falling. Riley is drawing me something under Peter Rasputin's tutorage, which is supposed to be some surprise. Michael is reading a book, something that has been approved for him. Rogue and Devon and quietly talking to each other in a corner, giggling at times. All and all, a quiet and snowy day. However, even this bothers me, although it is fairly normal, if you look at us from the outside. The snow is heavy, but even the white substance can't hide us now from the presence we know is coming closer._

_Days have been about the same as they were before. Security has been tightened. Our personal belongings have now been counted, our jewelry has been taken away and we're drawn into a smaller net. We no longer cannot socialize with anyone we want to, the neighbors look away from us and darkness has fallen earlier and earlier. We are coming closer and closer towards each other, which leaves little room for the drama from above to go elsewhere._

_That's what makes me angry too. Logan tried defusing the situation at first, but every time Bobby comes near Rogue, there comes a fight. He backs away, Kitty tries something and it starts anew. I know what they are trying to do. They're trying to drown Rogue in kindness. From a bias view (namely Devon), it's sickening, and I quite agree. It got so ridiculous that Matthew and Storm (now a couple, we see) switched rooms with Rogue and Devon, so now Teller is keeping an eye out on the two (which makes me nervous too, all things considering). I have all of my children with me, but at what cost? A little drama, which takes another step each day?_

_I can see that Rogue and Devon are trying to take it in stride. However, I also see that Rogue is attempting to forgive in so many ways. She'd see some little trinket from Bobby from somewhere and get weepy (upset or happy, we can't tell). She'd pass him in the hallway and they'd say a word of greeting and it makes her either turn away or smile. It's back and forth and it is making Devon so crazy that he pulls his hair, fights with Rogue or confronts Bobby and Kitty. It's a sad thing to have to pull apart one or the other fighting (mentally or physically) and it's putting a strain on us too._

_Logan had to ask Bobby and Kitty to just stop finally. When that didn't work, we talked with everyone privately and inquired about help. The only two people willing to put an extra foot in was Magneto and the Professor, surprisingly enough. While the others did their best to keep those two away from Rogue (Hank directing traffic most of all), Magneto would talk with Bobby and Kitty and the Professor would do the same with Rogue and Devon. I see some progress, but the two are not ready to allow the couples to merge together and be a group. They have no common cause anymore. They no longer can function as a team without the added incentive. Without seeing someone outside of work as a person, there was no point in keeping them in the same place._

_It's a lot of work to keep everyone in line, but it is working. Devon and Rogue are allowed their time out when Bobby and Kitty have no chance to be outside and vice versa. They can say simple sentiments when they are passing each other. There's been less of the accusing, bullying and cajoling. It's been more peaceful that way and I am so grateful to the Professor and Magneto for what they've done. Oddly enough, I could say that, without them as a team, this would not have been achieved._

_There's a few other odds and ends to share other than my last story for the day. First, Teller has found a new girlfriend some months ago, but he and Roger found out that she was a spy for the guards and was put in there on purpose. "Lady Poison", as Teller and Roger have so aptly named her, wooed Teller towards the beginning of May and was just found out this past week to be trying to kill Teller. Apparently, what Teller and Roger found out was that the woman would put some lipstick on her lips, to make herself more appealing for a kiss, and inserted poison, one that would have slowly gotten to Teller. According to him, she was made immune of the poison by Commander Hanks and was ordered to get as many mutant men as she could, starting with the single men in our household. And the only way Teller knew that she had poison on her lips was the slight bubbles he noticed there one night. Since then, he had avoided kissing her…until last night, when he managed to get sexual, wipe the lipstick and makeup off of her and proceed with his night as any male his age would._

_Needless to say, Lady Poison has met her end somehow. The guards had been nosy that night and did not appreciate that Teller locked the bedroom door on them (granted, he knew that he was doing it on purpose). After five minutes of their merrymaking (or her complaining, as Teller put it), the guards broke the door down, hauled Lady Poison away and locked Teller in some solitary confinement cell for some days before returning him to us. He returned to us smiling and giving Roger a thumbs-up. Lady Poison has not returned to this compassionate neighborhood yet._

_Second, I did mention the jewelry and anything of value being taken away, gathered about three weeks ago and after the Christmas rush. Anything we had that was worth something was taken away from us. From everything I gave Michael and Riley from their father (which was little anyway), to Logan's infamous dogtags to my necklace, Jay's dogtags and my rings. Everything was taken away and put into trucks just outside the houses, the shiny items winking at us as they were taken away by the piles. It caused some people to get upset, but like I told everyone (Logan included), they are only things. What are things when we have each other?_

_Magneto was there when I said it. He came up to me as we dispersed our group, the children trying to make the day go by a little faster by thinking up new activities, and tapped me on the shoulder. I am not used to have him around and honestly cannot trust him completely, but the face he gave me when I saw him was something that made me pause and want to listen. Logan had since preoccupied the boys and watched with one eye as Magneto took me to one side._

_By the window, we were easily heard by the guards, but that did not seem the bother Magneto. He put a hand on my shoulder in some reassuring way and shook his head. He seemed like the father nobody ever had, a missing and wiser man for the years spent. He then asked me something in a language I had not heard in years. It was a clue to the privacy he craved and it confused me._

"_Do you speak German?" Magneto asked me, unsure if the guards or even Logan understood him or if he had to change tactics._

"Ja_," I replied, dimly remembering speaking to my grandmother in the language, when she was alive and refusing to speak English to anyone._

"_It's only the beginning," he then stated morbidly in German, as if this was truly the start of something horrible._

"_How can you say that?" I asked him in the same langiuage, shaking as the words washed over me like cold water. "This is nothing. This…_place_…seems like nothing. How worse can it get?"_

"_And that's what many people before you, long ago, have asked themselves," Magneto pointed out. "We are in a hellish place and see that perhaps it is good, better than we have ever had it. It could be worse, we say. It was worse for many others, like we've seen. But this is just a step."_

"_You've been saying that for years," I pointed out bitterly. "How can you be so sure now?"_

"_Because history is being repeated, Ghost," Magneto explained gently, this time in English and not the fanatic tone he was using before. His eyes seemed gentle too. "I see the same things we have had in Germany. The only thing we are missing are the regular transports. Either that, or we will all be exterminated one night."_

"_By what?" I was confused, almost in wonder by his words of wisdom. "Who could come in?"_

_Magneto only had to incline his head to the left. I looked carefully out the window, trying to see the end of the street, and saw them. By any stretch of the imagination did not I expect them to leave. No, I thought they would be improved…and they look it. They have been made better than their predecessors had even when we were in Canada the year before. They had been made to confront, conform and attack anything that told it that was not human._

_The Sentinels had come back…and now a bigger enemy than ever before._

_That thought kept me on my toes for several more weeks afterward, even when I was playing for Commander Hanks and his men every Friday and Saturday. Although they promised me a surprise someday, the one I encountered yesterday was a big enough one. This shall be my last story for now and one that would even keep me on end for a while._

_This week is our time to go to the park, even though the snow has been bad. Logan and I bundled Michael, Riley and Daken for the cold as Rogue and Devon walked (more like sulked) behind us. Logan was in front the front with Michael and Riley, regaling them with stories from the wars he was in (more detailed than I remembered them to be). I was behind them with Daken wrapped in my arms. Rogue and Devon were in the back, whispering some things to each other and giggling hysterically. If I still had my powers, I would have had a mind to do some snooping and see what was going on…and do it shamelessly too._

_When we reached the east end of the neighborhood, where we would be able to pass the guards and walk up the hill to the park, we encountered another figure, this one coming towards us and heading west. The figure was too covered in clothes for us to see who it was, but he greeted us in a cordial tone. When he passed me in the rear, Rogue and Devon walking around me as I slowed down, time seemed to have stopped. Finally, I completely halted because I knew the man who passed us._

"_Oh, hi, Ghost," the man said, tipping his hat and walking away._

_It took me a minute to realize what had happened. Shaking my head, I waved Logan ahead and waited for his assent before taking Daken and running after the man for most of the street until we were about three houses from our residence. Daken made some noise, something akin to complaining about the cold, and only calmed down when I stopped. Huffing and puffing, I called out to the man, asking him to stop. He obeyed me, turning to face me and pulling some of the clothing off of his face. His eyes startled me most of all, the same color staring back at me in half amusement and half concern._

_It was Chameleon. My father had been captured and sent here, of all places._

_Plenty of things went through my head and a lots of feelings ran through me. I cannot describe what I wanted out of this man, the one who left when I was so young and came in and out of it, only to abuse, taunt and even rescue me. The man who I was sent to watch and report back about, the man who worked with my dead husband and Teller…_this_ was the man who always came back to haunt me. And now, there he was, standing at me and chuckling, like this was some sick joke. Without his mutant abilities, he looked more human, but the charisma was still there._

"_I knew you were here," Chameleon began, looking at Daken in my arms and being wary of the guards passing us. "I didn't get a chance to say something until now. Apparently, being a peddler and a Black Market person has its ups and downs."_

_I laughed harshly. "You were always looking for a bargain, weren't you? Something that made you better than anybody else?"_

_Chameleon stopped before trying to say something to reply to my retort, staring at me in a new light. "Danielle –"_

"_Why?" I interrupted, the question erupting from my lips before I knew it. "Why did you do it?"_

_Chameleon could not answer me. He shuffled his feet in the snow, looking at the ground and unable to answer. I knew it was going to happen. He never would answer my questions, when I saw him and bothered to talk, and turn around. He would run away like he always did. He wasn't one for confrontation, I suppose, unless it was cornering people and their assassination. He was always good at those._

_Finally, Chameleon peered at me with curious eyes. "It's been a long time since someone asked me that," he replied carefully. "It was your mother, I believe, the last time I saw her alive and she talked to me. It's a question that I never liked answering. I couldn't. There are too many possibilities with the question, too many horizons yet to be explored. Those are the ones I have yet to explain to myself too."_

"_Then, why bother?" I was exasperated, willing my feet to turn around and run. I couldn't though, transplanted into the ground._

"_There it is again," Chameleon pointed out. "You keep asking me why. You ask yourself that too. Why did you bother chasing after me, even though you've been fighting me for years? Why did you ignore your assassin's instinct and run after a man who can kill you with only a finger in the right place?"_

"_You wouldn't." I was denying the obvious._

"_I could and would, if I had to. But now, I cannot and would not. You and your children are all that I have now, the only reason I live, even if it's from afar. I couldn't help many things. Much of our lives, Danielle, entwined as they were, were out of control. It was out of our reach. It takes a strong mind and body to realize that. It might take years to see it or even months. Some people never see it coming. Today though, it's hard not to see it in front of you."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Look around you, Danielle! What do you see?"_

"_I see the dying and the dead. That's all I see."_

"_You've seen that for years. What else?"_

"_As asshole who thinks he knows me when he doesn't."_

_Chameleon laughed. "Ok, I'm had. You win."_

_Suddenly, guards were soon surrounding me and Chameleon, seeing that something was out of place as we talked randomly on the streets without permission and sneaking behind their backs. Even behind me some houses away, Logan was still waiting me anxiously, seeing the same things the guards were and worrying. The children had gone ahead and Devon and Rogue with them. My conversation with my father was drawing too much attention._

_Chameleon wrapped the scarf around his face again, allowing the guards to search him and then me and Daken. He then tipped his hat to me, smiling behind that thick wad of cloth. As the guards checked me and Daken, disturbing his comfort zone, Chameleon continued to smile. Anybody could have seen it, it was that obvious._

"_Good day, Ms. Mitchell," Chameleon said, swiveling on one foot and walking away from me. The snow crunched underneath his shoes, the new fog covering his tracks._

_And that was what bothered me. Even when I caught up with Logan and eventually the kids and Rogue and Devon, the conversation went over in my mind over and over again. It only told me everything and nothing. I could not be sure what my father meant. He say nothing about how he got there and how it happened. I mean, it could have been anything that got old Chameleon to be stuffed into a ghetto and forgotten about, an old man about to die soon anyway. But to worm his way out and purposely find me…it was strange and most certainly answered some things. It made more uneasy, but I had a clear idea of what was perhaps going to happen next._

_Sometimes, saying nothing told volumes. It just might takes years to see the impact and it will be hard._

* * *

**Lately (like, in the last month and a half), I haven't been posting more than a chapter every day or so. I'm starting to get more and more ahead of the story and starting to wrap it up too. I am hoping that this was evenly paced and that it filled in some gaps. As always, any questions or concerns, review, PM me or whatever. I'm here. :)**


	55. I Knew the Pathway

It was a strange evening so far. Danielle played all night, even with a band that Hanks provided for her (and one that just didn't want to jell, she thought), but the place wasn't swinging, like it normally did on a Friday night. She saw the usual guards from her position on the recently-built stage, but there were also too many couples that sat around uncomfortably. It was too dark to see who was there and it was a futile exercise to even try. However, Danielle was determined to do something by the end of the night (whenever that was) or at least listen to some gossip and try to figure it out from there.

She hardly had to the chance though. As soon as the set was finished, some guards from Hanks' office escorted her off of the stage, but they did not direct her outside to a jeep like they normally did. Immediately, they took her to the floor with the rest of the couples, releasing her in the middle of what seemed like chaos. She felt like she was stuck in a sea of sharks, feeling the prey and out of water. She stood there confused, watching the other couples stare at the floor or even at each other, whispers of something happening twisting in others' ears. Danielle strained to see and hear everything, but when she saw the black uniforms of those in the ghetto, her heart sank.

_Something is going to happen. They didn't come here just to see me._

Danielle felt her heart thump into her throat. She glanced around quickly and watched the shadows around her, unsure of where to start with the gossip since so many people had already come and gone. Soon though, she was listening to the screams running through her ears, coming left and right. She covered her ears, kneeling to the ground as, one by one, each couple or person was taken away. Their own cries of agony were echoed throughout the building, some of the bubbling gasps of their last breath. Unsure of what was happening, Danielle's eyes kept trying to find out some form of safety, seeking the colored lights some an exit. She thought it was a mistake, some sort of joke.

But somehow, she knew that it wasn't. Danielle was stuck in the middle of some massacre that ensured that she might be dead in some way too.

Some seconds later, Danielle felt herself being pulled. Forced to get up to her feet, she was dragged, screaming in surprise as she went. Up the stairs she went without protesting, but not to Hanks' office as she did before. This time, she was sent another way, pushed into a dark room and falling on her back. Her assailant turned on the light as she sat up, showing his face for the first time, and shut the door behind them, laughing. Shaking, Danielle saw the reason why, turning her eyes to the right in the corner.

There was Logan, tied and gagged to a metal chair. It appeared that he might have been sedated at one point, since his eyes were very glassy, but he was still fighting against the restraints and trying to tell her something. Seeing Danielle had made him more desperate and he was trying to point to the man nearby, as if to warn her of the threat ahead.

Again, the guard laughed. "What a lovely surprise, isn't it? All the couples and everything to show for it."

It suddenly dawned on Danielle what was happening. The screaming, the killing and the people who had been gathered together…it had all been a jest to them, those guards who watched and teased them daily. It was a butchery, yes, but one of a different kind. It was a mass raping and murdering spree. All who had refused were going to meet a different end.

_We're all going to die anyway. It may not be today, but tomorrow or the next day._

"You pig," Danielle heard herself say, unwilling to stay quiet anymore and standing up to defend herself. She wasn't going to be used again. "You fucking pig!"

"Shut up, bitch!" The guard went over and slapped Danielle before she could dodge him. "You won't talk to someone more superior in that tone if you knew what was good for you."

"Since when has being human had anything to do with being superior?" Danielle challenged. "We're all the same in the end, no matter what. And you should know that."

The guard had enough. Immediately, as Logan tried his best to free himself, the guard grabbed Danielle by the hair and started throwing her, first on the floor and then to the wall. Over and over again, Danielle felt herself get stopped by a hard barrier, hair ripping strand by strand in his hands, and did not care. For years, she had endured this. For _years_, she had been abused and taunted, raped and left for dead. It was nothing new to her. But now, they brought one of the most precious people in her life, to witness her humiliation. She could not take it anymore. She had to fight, fight to keep alive, even though she no longer had her mutant powers anymore.

Time had passed, but Danielle could not tell how much. All she remembered, all she could discern, was the room with the single light bulb. Shadows danced in and out of her eyesight, but never the man who beat her. When she could see clearly, when her head was ringing, spots of blood and sweat ran down her body and her limbs felt like they were on fire, Logan was in front of her, looking as if he had been beaten. Somehow, he was untied, but staring at her in such a way that confused Danielle. There was a look of disgust on his face, as if something was bothering him greatly. However, the laughter behind them told Danielle that they had company. While she had been unconscious, more guards had shown up, covered in bodily matter of all kinds, most of them blood. Some still had their pants pulled down, their so-called greatest act of kindness a trophy to those dying and dead. Some even kept their bloodied shirts, the red details swirling down as their sweat mingled with it.

"Come on," the guard who beat Danielle said. "I want to see it, like all the others. I want to see a mutant fuck another."

The others encouraged it, wanting to see something come of it. It seemed that Logan was supposed to watch the guard rape Danielle, but since she had decided to rebel, it seemed a better idea to watch the two in action themselves. In front of everyone, they were to enact what was their greatest source of passion and make a show out of it. That was what made Logan so disgusted, Danielle saw. It would have made her so too, but she was too scared to feel that because she past that stage long ago. Feeling the ridicule around them, she put a hand to Logan's noticeably swollen cheek, rubbing it gently and wondering how the men got through to the adamantium. She then ran her hand down from his face to his torso, shushing him when he tried saying something. Her eyes glistened with tears, but she closed them to make them disappear.

It was like the guards were not there. Danielle's mind wrapped around a memory, a memorable one from what seemed like years ago, and she held onto it tightly, as if it was a life anchor. Shaking, she gently laid Logan on the floor, holding onto the happiness that they had, the first of many, and ignored their surroundings. It was calming in so many ways and it might save her sanity, she thought gladly. She didn't think Logan would recover from it, as many others before them did, the unlucky ones who would nurse their souls or those who had passed.

"Just let me," Danielle whispered in Logan's ear as she eased his pants off and got her dress hiked up. "Let me do it this time and never look at them."

~00~

_I walked across an empty land.  
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand.  
I felt the earth beneath my feet.  
Sat by the river and it made me complete._

_Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.  
So, tell me when you're gonna let me in.  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin._

There had been too many months of staying in Russia and planning throughout the cold summer and winter, but it was all worth it to Jubilee. Every morning got her up, her excitement over leaving a balm to her soul. She ignored all other things, trying to avoid suspicion when she could, and went about her days as if it was a step forward to Rogue. She knew that the mutant situation was worsening and might there. But for all of that, and for the wrong people who were now in charge, she did not care. All she cared about was redemption. She did not know how much time she had, but she knew she had to act soon or lose the chance forever.

It took most of the year into the next to get her plans into place, leaving her scrambling for the last steps in her plan in January. Jubilee had used the identity Mystique had given her, using it as a cover for everything, from train tickets, passports and everything else. She perfected her Russian and even worked on Korean, Mandurian (something her parents never taught her) and the generalized form of Japanese. She planned her route, from Fuyuan to Vladivostok on the Trans-Siberian railroad. From there, she had a place in line to get over the border to China and travel down into North Korea. Although it took months to obtain permission to get through the former strict Communist country, she still took careful steps in ensuring her safety…and an illegal way to get to South Korea and a boat to Japan.

From there, Jubilee had not planned where to go to next, since Japan was mostly safe for mutants. She assumed that she would somehow be using her identity once more to get through to the United States, but it was a far stretch. The daughter of Chinese immigrants was going to stand out in many places (it took some convincing in Russia that her cover was sound) and running from a different country to the one of her birth was worse. She was determined though, determined to stand up and find Rogue. She had to, even if it was to say goodbye.

The night had come for her to leave finally. The first of February, she waited until everyone was asleep. Mystique had been doing overnight shifts in a factory that made parts of Trask, a company that had come to Russia with open arms (and made Mystique cringe, but disabling their efforts was part of her so-called secret job). The other mutants in her charge had been sleeping in their beds, which made it easier for Jubilee to slip away. Once she knew it was safe and they were all asleep, she got out of her bed, taking her pack of necessitates and going to what was Mystique's room. She pulled out a paper from her pocket, a note of thanks she wrote, and left, feeling free for the first time in years.

On her way to the train station, Jubilee tried to remain as calm as possible. She paid for her ticket at the last station open and found her car, sitting down nervously. She had a few people join in before the train started and went towards the most eastern coast of Russia, easing her way into relief the further away she went away. Soon though, she was smiling and chatting before their food came in about three in the morning. By then, Jubilee started feeling more and more comfortable. However, one woman caught her eye. When the others had left, she remained behind, checking the windows before locking their car and drawing the curtains on both sides and turning to Jubilee.

Jubilee knew that she was caught. The motions were too familiar to not know that it was Mystique.

"What were you thinking?" Mystique hissed, her golden eyes showing in rage. "Leaving now when things are bad? You think people in Japan would welcome someone who is Chinese?"

"No, but it was a long shot," Jubilee replied, annoyed. "I need to get to Rogue, Mystique. I just need to, to see her and all. You wouldn't understand. How can you, when all you are is some murderess with no remorse?"

Mystique regarded Jubilee for a long time before speaking and not allowing her to know what she knew about Rogue and their issues in the past. "I might not understand your determination, but what I do know if that you will die if you try. If you want that on yourself, then go. I can't stop you now because I can't protect you forever. Once you leave, you leave for good. Right now, my concern is the mutants I left behind. With you running off, anyone can capture you and get information. The less you know, the better off we'll all be."

Jubilee did not expect Mystique to be so casual about her leaving and felt that it was so easy, even if calling her a murderess left no mark. She nodded to the older mutant without another word, noting that Mystique finally unlocked the doors and opened the window curtains when the others arrived. The chatter began again, but stopped when the train finally rolled into the old town of Vladivostok. They then all left the train, as if they were old friends, and disembarked as the darkness started turning from purple to orange for the new dawn. By then, when the group dispersed, Mystique had left Jubilee's side and she was alone. Being so alone made her smile, truly free now, and she started to head for the exodus that was heading to China. There was a line there already, officials in cars that were taking paperwork, and a long one, at that. Jubilee groaned inwardly, knowing that it meant no sleep, but it was a step forward too.

As Jubilee walked to the line, asking someone to check her paperwork before going to the officials, she felt something on the back of her neck. It was like a thorn and one that drew no blood, she felt. She went to touch what hit her neck, but was soon feeling sleepy. Her fingers did not have the energy to reach back. Her legs started buckling and her arms felt very heavy. Her backpack slipped away from her shoulders and she lost control of her travel papers, seeing them flying as people continued to walk around her in ignorance.

The last thing Jubilee remembered was realizing how cold the pavement was…

* * *

**DUN! DUN! DUN!**

**Just a few notes, as always. First, the lyrics from are the Keane song, "Somewhere Only We Know". Second, I'm coming to a point in the story where some years will be covered briefly. Some areas will be focused upon and others will not. I'll try as best as I can to make it interesting and flow easily and not be so boring. As always, message, review, etc., for questions, concerns and comments. Thank you all for your support, even if it's traffic.**


	56. As the Years Roll By

_**March 29**_

_It's been about a year since we've arrived here in this neighborhood. While I am still not sure what to think about it, things have been changing little by little. Ever since that last night I played for Commander Hanks and his men over a month ago, a different kind of show has been happening. After I, well, made known my mind to the guards who were using us at their club for their appeasement, they've been taking all of the attached women and their husbands, boyfriends, whoever, and watching them fuck each other and see what happens, since it's all a mutant freak show to them. One of them got this idea that started with me and Logan and spread, evolving into orgies with guards jumping in and deaths when they're not satisfied._

_We had been so lucky, I guess. We and the couples that house with us that now have to join in this ridiculous exercise and have not died. Nobody messed with Logan with the adamantium claws (from what I've heard, the only beating Logan ever got messed the guards up more than he was), but it won't be long now before he falls to the poison that consumes him daily. But the fear runs through me constantly, for that and for much more. It's now a life and death situation. It's a slow and painful process that has gotten us through this year and it is torture running through more days like it._

_Throughout the last two months, we've already seen an increase in pregnancies, miscarriages and sexually transmitted diseases. We've seen everyone hid from each other more and more. Nobody talks of the dying or dead. There has been no neighborly help more. There's been no kids coming over to play with Michael and Riley. We've been shoved into this house more and more often and the tension is worse._

_At night, I see shadows. I can't tell what they are anymore, everything spins in circles. Some nights, I see people who are dead and people who hurt or helped me. I see guards who come in and out of the house constantly and protestors who pull us out of bed to harass us. Riots from the other towns come closer and closer, like a war's front moving forward, and we hear their obnoxious heckling daily. There are less and less sunny days. Clouds surround us._

_I can't concentrate enough to keep my thoughts straight. The vertigo has been worse these days._

_**April 17**_

_Mae and I are sitting with Rogue now. The poor girl, she just had a miscarriage earlier this morning. Devon has been pacing outside the room, asking what's wrong, but we keep telling him that all is well and that Rogue is just exhausted and bleeding more than usual this month. She doesn't know either and we believe that it is best to keep it that way. I don't think anyone should know either, not even Logan. I know he cares for Rogue deeply too, but it might hurt him more than Devon. Mae and I are thinking that this is the best route, all things considering._

_I am feeling weak myself these days, even as I sit here with Mae. It's not just the vertigo and my dreaded left knee. I just feel so tired and withdrawn. I am feeling the need to sleep a lot these days. I might just join Rogue in her peaceful slumbers for now._

_**April 25**_

_Just when Rogue is back on her feet and still oblivious to what happened, another falls sick. This time, it's Logan. The adamantium poisoning got to him this time. The fever is high and he has a nasty rash, he is having a hard time breathing and he screams in his sleep, thinking he's back in the past. I have been with him from the start. No sleep in a few nights, but I am hoping. Please, please, _please_…Logan cannot die. Please, somebody, tell me he won't die…_

_**May 4**_

_It's been about the same with Logan, but he is hardly improving. I've had to restrain him, with some help from Mae, Hank and Teller, and keep away. His claws have to aimlessly swiping at the air and hitting anything in sight. The walls around him are destroyed, the bed we sleep on is in pieces except for the mattress and all of us have gotten scratched at least once, including the children. Chameleon has even snuck in and gotten a claw to the face, but the wound was not bad. He laughed it off and walked away, unsure of what else to do or say._

_How odd, my own father is becoming a help, even when he does nothing. We do not speak, but he knows and comes when he can. That makes it helpful, I suppose, a presence that it and is not there. I still need space from him though, to figure a lot of things out. I cannot stand to see him much of the time and think of the past we shared. It's horrible of me, but I still cannot reconcile the past with him when so many times we have been at each other's throats._

_I hear Logan screaming in the other room and Daken is crying. Must go._

_**May 11**_

_Logan is better thankfully and woke up for the first time yesterday. We all helped him outside to sit by the picnic table because he begged it. He remembers nothing from the past few weeks, which I am grateful for. He just enjoys the sun, sitting next to me and asking me too many questions I cannot answer. I am tired myself, laying in this beautiful sun that hardly comes out. I must sleep…_

_**June 2**_

_God help me, I am pregnant. I've been excused from the so-called Friday night orgies though because I've been so sick and off my feet. Kitty, Bobby, Devon, Rogue, Blink, Warpath, Roger and Mae still go. Logan and I have been staying here, enjoying what we have left. Lately, since he's still weak, we lay on the bed together (something Roger managed to nail back together). It's a comfort._

_**November 1**_

_For the past few months, all boy children born have been killed and the girls left alone, due to the theory that there are less female mutants and more humans have been born. It makes me grateful. Our daughter, Elizabeth Jean Mitchell, was born last night, on a holiday with no meaning anymore. It happened so quickly last night and the labor was intense and short, but it went without issues except for a lot of tearing, since I was standing against a wall as she was born because it felt so much more comfortable that way to me. After taking some hours to stitch me up, Mae reassured me that I would not be able to have more children, which has me and Logan relieved._

_Logan has nicknamed the baby Celeste. The birthmark on her forehead is in the shape of a star and he finds it interesting that her hair color is his, but with bright red highlights. Already, she has everyone twisted around that little pinkie of hers, even Chameleon, who was in the other room when she was born and could not stop cooing over her (he even had Daken on his knee and telling stories when Celeste was handed back). However, if our suspicions are correct, she is going to be acting as harshly as I was growing up and end up being a mutant._

_From what Kitty told me, the Friday night bashes have ended the night before. A few days ago, Hanks got bored with the whole thing and hand-picked some couples, every other one to be exact. Those couples were given a choice in death. Nobody from our household was killed, since they got into the habit of scattering and not staying together, but many more saw their deaths by firing squad, burnings, whatever. It makes me want to pull my children closer together and wish that they would never have to deal with this atrocity again._

_Little Celeste is crying. She normally does not want me and likes Logan just holding her. I must see what is happening._

_**November 9**_

_People have been keeping news from me, but I know. Thirty-nine more newborn boys born because of the humiliation have been killed. Their cries echoed down the streets and the grief of their mothers reach my ears. I am lucky Celeste was born a girl. The guards did check her yesterday, stripping her naked before handing her back to me. But the star on her forehead…it made them apprehensive too. I am seeing that they believe her to be mutant._

_**January 1, 2011**_

_A dismal new year has started. I wish that things would be better, but doubts eat at me. Snow is falling outside and the children want to play, even Daken. I am tempted, so very tempted. However, Blink came in to say that the guards have gathered in the backyard. I cannot allow them outside if they're up to something._

_**March 9**_

_Daken's second birthday was today. It was a quiet celebration and the kids had a good time. Even my birthday boy was excited, blowing out a makeshift candle on a small piece of cake we made and was smiling. He is so like Logan in many ways, I am amazed. Even Logan was proud, sitting next to Daken and helping him blow out the candle._

_Kitty watched Celeste and even cooed over her and showed her off to Bobby (that little girl still wrapping people to her will), happily giving her back to me by the end of dinner. She has been kinder lately and she and Rogue are getting along better too, which makes everything so much better. Rogue and Bobby are still working on their issues though, which is tough in many other ways. It helps when Kitty and Blink are close too and, once one decides something, the other follows._

_The kids are sleeping close to me and Logan tonight. Celeste is on top of Logan, I have Daken in my other arm and Michael and Riley sleep in the middle. Rogue and Devon are on the floor next to us. The lights outside are getting brighter and brighter and providing me with the light I need, but that bothers me (other than thinking the children would wake up). The Sentinels must be gaining more entry, more so than ever before. However, I noticed that they're still outside the gate. What will be done with them?_

_**August 14**_

_Today is Michael's thirteenth birthday. Although we have nothing to show him how adult he is, since gifts are few and far between these days, Logan has been training him (as well as Riley) outside, like scaling walls and such. The guards are not allowing punches and kicks, but Michael is having a lot of fun nonetheless and pretends to beat Riley in everything. It's disconcerting though, watching my oldest grow up and not have a childhood to speak of. I can blame Leon all I want, but I am to blame too. We both gave those two a childhood that they cannot look back on with warmth. It's with terror._

_I cannot regret anything though. It's better to watch Logan help Michael and Riley onto the garage roof and see them balance on the edge, almost as if they're both back on the edge and Leon is trying to beat the mutantness out of them. Logan is so good to them, more so than I can say, and I am proud that he calls them his kids too._

_**February 2, 2012**_

_Teller came up to me again today, saying that Rogue was bleeding heavily and the bed has leaked through a little. Mae checked with me and whispered to me that it was no miscarriage, but she is worried about Rogue nonetheless. There are a few other reasons why a young woman would be bleeding and in pain like that and I am fearing the worst. The best thing that helped Rogue was an old heating pad, microwaved every so often and placed on her abdomen._

_Devon has been pacing once more, staying out the bedroom. He won't allow me to get close to him and he snaps often at everyone, even at his siblings. I understand how hard it is for him. I just fear it would consume him more._

_**February 5**_

_Mae and Hank theorized that Rogue have ovarian cysts, which seems to be the best one yet. There is nothing we can do about it except for monitoring. Rogue has been a trooper and consoled Devon most of all, which is peculiar. While she joked and said that no grandchildren would come of it anytime soon, the thought bothers her a lot, I know. She could keep on bleeding and it could be cancerous. It's dangerous for one to be sick at a time like this, with so many possibilities of things being wrong and going wrong._

_There is some light to the dark though. Logan and I are finding some time for each other alone, when the days are good and we are both well. Although it is still cold outside, a few minutes on the back porch with a glass of orange juice has been perfect. Although Logan still mumbles about wanting some beer and a cigar (and it's been years since he's had those), he still takes things as they come. He and I even toasted the guards around us with our drinks last night. How chivalrous of us! We confused them more with our laughter than anything else._

_Michael just came up to me, saying that Commander Hanks needs to talk to us upstairs. I wonder what it is about now. Other than a piano from their club being hauled upstairs, I do not see the reason why he is here._

_**April 19, 2015**_

_Although it's been some years since I've written, there's been reasons. The guards have been searching the premises more and more, since there were rumors that people were escaping through the tunnels, hence the meeting with Commander Hanks some time ago. Anything they would think is incriminating, like letters, journals and other messages, they took away from us and eventually interrogated all involved. I've had to find numerous hiding places, thinking that they would come daily. While it wasn't as often as I feared, three years is still a long time not to write. Perhaps some updates are in order._

_Logan's adamantium poisoning has been worse in the past few years. More often, he has been weak and hardly walking. We've estimated two more years at the most (and that was Hank's estimate as a scientist), but Logan isn't all that optimistic anymore about living. Most days, he tries the best he can to sit up and play with the younger kids or impart some advice to the older ones. The white at his temples is getting thicker. He is getting wilder in some ways (especially when he's asleep and dreams), but he still knows and trusts me, which helps in the days when he no longer can tell one person from the other._

_Michael and Riley are sixteen and twelve respectively (well, almost seventeen and thirteen). They still argue with each other as siblings do, but the pair have been pulling everything together, which has surprised me. Michael, under whatever tutorage Logan put him under, has turned into a confident, handsome young man who admitted to me and Logan the other day that he was gay (with promises that he would tell everyone when he was ready). He has been directing things when drama hits the fan and, more and more daily, takes upon the forced leadership that Leon put upon himself long ago (he even looks like Leon, but Michael won't admit that). On the other side, Riley has been an energetic and using whatever strength he has to help to lift and move things, becoming the child that Jay used to be (commanding, annoying and even cocky). He has been confining in me that he has a crush on Blink too, which is a joke that we tease him about everyday at breakfast._

_Daken and Celeste are six and four (Celeste being almost five). The two darlings are underfoot, growing up too fast and look up to Michael and Riley more than those two think. Although I think the children are unevenly spaced out, I still think that Daken and Celeste make a pair that rival Michael and Riley. The four of them usually gang up on each other, either with pranks or blaming one or the other for something (physical and mental fighting and such). But Daken and Celeste seem to have lives of their own too. Daken has been emulating Logan in every way, from his movements, his words, everything. He's a complete loner. On the other side of the coin is Celeste, a social butterfly who seems to think she is on top of the world and can do anything, almost like I was when I was a teenager. She can't be alone, choosing people over solitude any day._

_Rogue and Devon have broken up almost a year and a half ago, but are called "friends with benefits" (which I doubt these days). It wasn't a painful breakup and the two shared the same room until Rogue dated Sunspot for a little while and Devon switched with Sunspot for her happiness. However, that did not last long and the two switched rooms again before Sunspot was sent to another house. Devon is still very protective of Rogue and would do anything for her, but at the same time, they bicker more like friends than lovers. Rogue, in the meantime, has slowly made up with Kitty and Bobby when her health permits it and keeps more and more to herself._

_Teller, in his infinite wisdom, impregnated a woman next door to us two years ago and has lost his only true love to death, as he called her. I did not know her name, only that she died in agony and their daughter, a beautiful little girl named Janie, survived. Teller took the little girl into his custody, but it wasn't long before we were all doting on her too and Daken was protecting her as much as he does with Celeste. Teller hasn't been the same since the woman's death and has tried his best to put his energy into little Janie. Lately though, he has been losing what was left of his spunk. He is listless some days, pulling his hair out the next or even sleeping all day. Regardless, the man I met over twenty years ago is a different man…a changed man and one that I don't think would recover._

_Surprisingly enough, our other parent in the household is Blink. We don't know who the father is (she won't say a word, but we all have our suspicions). However, her twins, Kathy and David, are adorable. They are almost three (they turn that age in December) and are as engaging as any other child. They normally hang out with Celeste and Daken and are as mischievous as mine are. The only other person who watches them is Warpath, who eyes them every so often in a concerned fashion, which has gotten all of us thinking…_

_After dating Rogue, Sunspot was sent to another apartment building down the street, along with Gil and Chameleon. Ours was getting too crowded and they needed one from every house on the block to fill another. Sunspot had confined in Teller that there is a tunnel somewhere, but would not say how he knows and where it leads to. Other than that, he has been quiet and would only see us occasionally at the park, where he eyes Rogue. He has been planning something, I know it, and has been scheming with Chameleon. What it is, I don't know, but I'm sure we'll see soon._

_The other couples, Matthew/Storm and Mae/Roger, have been keeping everyone in line upstairs, since Hank, the Professor and Magneto have been tired and resting more. Those three have been counseling, especially the whole Bobby/Rogue thing. But those two, as well as Kitty and Devon, are not the only ones who need the help. While Peter has been trying his best to get some closure to the situation, he found out that the best therapy was time. Almost a decade after the whole debacle, it seems to be coming to a close. We are all relieved._

_Myself? Well, I do things, here and there. I feel like my body is on fire. Everyday, I am struggling to keep focused on the tasks at hand. It's getting harder though, harder to focus and to keep myself from going insane because I am half a person. The years have not made it better. Indeed, it's been worse, with a lack of sleep, too many children in x amount of years, taking care of my family and slowly feeling like life is draining from me. I have to keep going though, to keep going even when things are tough and nobody is there is balance things out. Nobody has noticed how breathless I am yet, only that I sometimes am absentminded and can't concentrate. They only know that the half that is Jay is gone. They don't know how everything seems like a downward spiral and that I only look up to keep sane._

_Storm has been a wonderful help, a great friend when I need someone to talk to, but she does not understand who I am, as Jean used to. The powers I used to have kept me alive and would have been a downfall, if I allowed it to be. They had yet to be acknowledged and developed after Jay was dead and I had only to see and use them before they were taken away from me. It's been six years since that day, days in which I wondered when there would an end. We've yet to hear of any news of the outside world, we are that confined inside, and if there would be a chance we can escape._

_If only, if only…_


	57. Shutdown

It was the perfect day to go to outside for an early spring day, Danielle noted as she took in the outside weather. She and Logan had been strong enough that day to rouse the children and use their week of liberty to gather them and go to the park. It was unusually quiet as they walked up the cracking sidewalks and played to the aging equipment, the playground deserted except for them. As time went on though, some parents brought their children. Blink soon arrived with her twins and Teller came with Janie, but all had seemed too quiet for a trip to the park.

Sitting on top of the platform for the slide, Danielle looked out, the younger pair of children with the older pair for now. All of the houses seemed more rundown than ever before, she noticed, getting almost as old she was. She was nearly thirty-six years old, a fact that did not escape her. She had spent her whole adult life in captivity in one place or another or fighting for what she believed in. The houses had had their fair share of abuse just as she had, she conceded, and there was more to come. It had been over six years since their arrival and more often than not, they stepped on eggshells they imagined and knew were there. Was this to be the way their lives had to be until the end?

_It can't always be like this. There's more to life than a ghetto. My younger children spent their lives here. My older ones spent their lives on the heels of some predator or another. Life could be worse, but I want it to be better for them._

The wind picked up. It whipped through Danielle's short red and white hair, caressing her cheeks and cooling her down to a chill. Although the sun had come out that morning and it promised to be a warm day, the clouds soon rolled in, threatening rain. However, that was not all that was that was coming in. When she strained her ears, Danielle heard some feet stomping in the distance. It was normal, she thought, until she heard popping noises and screams. It came closer as time passed and everyone was oblivious to it, but when it was around the block, Danielle looked to see flashes in the window accompanying the screams. That was what panicked her the most.

Immediately, Danielle risked the slide and landed on her feet on the bottom, running towards Logan and the children. "Logan!" she called in a panic. "Logan!"

Logan saw and heard the same things Danielle did. By then, he had gathered Daken and Celeste into his arms and herded the older children too. Blink and Teller and their children trailed right behind Logan.

"Let's go!" Logan yelled. Danielle did not need to be told twice, taking the rear behind Teller and Blink and their children.

The group made their way back to the house quickly, meeting up with Hank, Sunspot and Peter Rasputin. The three had worried looks on their faces, but were relieved to see them come back unharmed. Already, Danielle saw that Peter had boarded up most of the top floor windows and was working on the bottom floor. Around the corner, Bobby was finishing up the top floor, his hands working quickly to hammer nails into the boards as Warpath steadied a ladder from the bottom. Hank directed the children inside and yelled to get to the living room on the second floor and to be quiet. Blink, Teller, Michael, Riley, Rogue and Devon ensured that orders were carried out, if they are applied.

Hank then turned to Logan and Danielle, who were remaining outside. "I don't know what's happening and who's out there, but some people are saying that Commander Hanks has allowed the Human Majority inside," he admitted honestly. "They've been armed and are known for their murders than anything else."

"Says who?" Danielle asked, surprised.

"Outside news," Hank confirmed. "I got get a lot of it. I'm sure this is true though. Get inside."

Danielle did not know the plan, but she needed to make one up as she went along. She felt so helpless, like she was in the dark and without knowing who was out there, and blindly went inside. She made her way to the living room on the bottom floor, seeing the windows blocked out and the lights off. She tried the light switch by the door, but saw that it was not working. When she turned around, she realized that the whole house did not have power, clocks stopped some hours before. Whoever it was had shut off the electricity.

"The power is off!" she called out.

"The water isn't working!" Teller yelled from the kitchen as he tried the sink.

"Was there any food delivered this morning?" Danielle then asked as she headed to the kitchen, her heart beating faster in her chest.

"No," Hank said behind her as he came inside. "No food was delivered last night either."

Danielle faced Hank from her position in the kitchen. "What does this mean, Hank? What are they doing to us now?"

"Shutdown," Hank could only utter.

"Barricading ourselves is the best option," Magneto called out as he came into the apartment with Xavier behind him, his wheelchair gaining them both a path to the table. "We can split up. We're staying here."

"So am I," Hank declared, unable to face Danielle or even Teller, to tell them the truth. "There's nothing better I can do."

"My children stay with me and Logan then," Danielle declared stoutly. "Rogue and Devon too. Teller, you and Janie can stay with us. I also want Mae and Roger down here."

"Wouldn't be a little crowded?" Hank asked her, his white eyebrow raised.

"We can keep better track of people that way," Danielle pointed out. "The more people, the more force we have. You can stay with the Professor and Magneto all you want here. Blink and her children, Warpath, Kitty, Bobby, Peter, Storm, Matthew and Sunspot, if we can swing him, can stay upstairs. We can keep the doors barricaded at all times."

Hank nodded. He watched as Danielle went out to the back hallway and called for the children. Down all five of them went, Rogue behind them and next to Devon in the back. Seeing them settled into the living room, she then went upstairs, tagging Mae and Roger and telling the others to stay put and keep hiding in the living room, as Hank ordered. The Mortimer couple then came downstairs with their things, Danielle behind them. Matthew had grabbed some plywood from the back hallway and said something to Ororo upstairs about propping it up when they needed it. Danielle agreed as her cousin went upstairs to secure their area, Hank only hearing that she wished that she could help, but with Logan being weak and not up to anything until tonight, she could not leave.

As the downstairs living room door closed and something prompted up against it, Hank sighed with some relief. It was going to be a long day, he figured, and perhaps a long night. He smiled as he sat at the dining room table with Magneto and Xavier. The two men had been his oldest friends, one more so than the other, and he was prepared to live and die with them, even Magneto. Smiling, he grabbed Xavier's hand and then Magneto's, holding onto them as if it were an unfinished circle of life. When Magneto took Xavier's, it seemed too complete, as if an ending had come and they had come to around full circle.

"So, it begins," Magneto started, unsure of what else to say.

Xavier nodded. "And so shall it end."

Hank agreed. "So Benjamin Drake said, 'I may regret the way we ended, but I will never regret what we had.' This may not be the ending, but a new beginning and one we cannot regret. Whether it is life or death, we must embrace it and meet it with open arms."

"Or you can think about it this way," Magneto said quietly. "Poe said it best, I would think. 'The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends and where the other begins?'"

~00~

It had been years since she had seen the light, but it was a wondrous thing to see the stars come out and shone upon the tears on her face.

She had been declared unfit, an outcast, a _mutant._ She had suffered years in some cell after being captured in a faraway land that would have ensured her safety had she gone over the border. She could have stayed with her hostess and gone along with the act if she didn't. She could have stayed there and suffered another cold Russian winter, unable to bear the horrible things done to her kind and be the person she never was. Instead, she took her life into her own hands and thought she was doing better by leaving and working her way to the one person she only had to seek.

Instead, she had been poisoned, dragged away to some dark place and sent to some rack that kept her stretched out for days as people passed her blurry years, punching, experimenting, _killing_ her. Now, as she was freed and no guards stood in the way of her and her freedom, Jubilation Lee weakly made her way out of the house of pain and torture. She did not know what she was doing because it seemed so strange that, after all of these years, she was allowed outside her shelter. All she knew was the date, her name and perhaps where she was. She heard that she was back in New York, but that was perhaps a dream.

Indeed, everything seemed like a reverie. The place Jubilee walked into seemed like a deserted neighborhood, almost like a ghost town, and had a little life around it (maybe down the road to her left, where she heard some voices). She took a few shaky steps towards the streets of the ghost town, feeling the vibrations of the earth underneath her. She could not use her powers (nobody had been able to, she heard), but she could use her human senses to get an idea of what was happening. Most certainly, she thought it unusual that it was nighttime and she seen no guards, heard explosions and smelled death all around her.

It was a chilly night, Jubilee had to admit. She wrapped her arms around herself, realizing how thin she was and with little cover too. She was wearing no shoes, but sported some old yoga pants and maybe a t-shirt changed a few times a year. The uneven road beneath her was rough, covered with some glass and soft objects that squished in-between her toes. Jubilee did not want to know what she was walking into, but whatever it was, she needed to hide and hide soon. She did not like the feel of the place anymore she liked the chamber she left behind. As she ambled through and tried going towards the noises, she tried finding a place to disappear. Some apartment building a few yards away had some vegetation, a garden of some sort that was abandoned. Jubilee thought it perfect to sneak into, crouching down and keeping low as lights soon came and went and the vocalization turned to terror.

_Kill the mutants! Kill them all!_

_Burn them! Burn them like they're in hell!_

_Kill, kill, kill!_

The sentiments were always the same, Jubilee heard. Sure that she would be discovered, she kept to her spot, not even testing out the garden vegetables left behind as group after group, with fire and brimstone on their minds, came and went. One large set even went to a white house near the gate on the other end, braying for Hank McCoy's blood. It was a clue, more of a chance than Jubilee ever saw one. Keeping her dark eyes hooked, she watched as at least fifteen people with torches and guns ran down the driveway of that house, screaming for the mutants to come out and play.

Even if she was running into danger, Jubilee did not care. At this point, if she could pinpoint where Hank McCoy – Beast – was, then she could perhaps find Rogue. To find Rogue meant her salvation, something she desperately clung to for the years she had been chained and imprisoned. It was a hope, a prayer she always had, that would redeem her in some way to the person she had wronged. Call it an obsession, she figured, but it was one she would gladly follow until she heard the words she needed to hear. Hell, she'd take a telling off too.

It was now or never. Seeing her chance to run, Jubilee sprinted, wishing that she was not too late.


	58. The Death of Hank McCoy

Hank heard them before he saw them, knowing that they wanted him most of all. He took a deep breath, allowing his hands to release themselves from Xavier and Magneto, and faced the doorway from his chair, waiting for them to come for him. He knew that they would come for him first. It was a given, since he had been the most famous out of all of them and had fought the longest. He would take them on as if he were at a press conference or talking with someone about his latest discovery. He would be brave and not be the gawky young man that he used to be, first with the oversized feet and then the blue fur that made him Beast.

It went quicker than even Hank expected. The orange and yellow flames encased them in a circle of fire, from the time they came to the driveway to the doors. The back hallway door crushed within seconds. He then watched as the wood cracked and then broke into pieces. Immediately, he stood up in defense, forgetting that he was no longer the strong and tall Beast, and rushed the people coming in. He managed to surprise a few of them, all of them sporting those horrible Bob Bell Human Majority uniforms and patches, and punched them in the face, left and right. He was soon grabbed from behind and pinned against the china cabinet in the corner by a man twice his human size.

Magneto tried getting up to defend Hank and Xavier (at least to make sure none of them dared to bother a man in a wheelchair), but was pushed back in his seat by what appeared to be the leader of the group coming in. The fire on the torch flashed in his face, burning some of the remaining white hair on it, and the anger leaked from every pore in the man's body. Magneto stayed still though, knowing when a battle was lost, and turned around to see Xavier, to make sure that he was ok. The man who put him in his place whipped Magneto's head right around.

"You _shall_ show me some respect, old man!" the leader said to Magneto.

"The last man to say that to me had a coin go through his head," Magneto replied coolly, his own glare cold and unfeeling. "Mind your tongue, young man. You may not be a good position next time you see me."

"Is that a threat?" The leader looked to Hank being guarded at the cabinet, snapping his fingers. "No matter. We'll deal with you later."

But the finger snapping did nothing to quell the explosion. It was like it unleashed a frenzy in the men and women that they did not realize that they had. Before the leader knew what was happening, he was run down by six people, who saw the closed door nearby. Screaming for more blood, they tried pushing the door open. With the attention off of them, Magneto immediately went under the table, pulling Xavier down with him without the wheelchair. He knew that Xavier wasn't going to be able to pull himself, so Magneto tucked his legs in a comfortable position and waited with his old friend, to find an opportunity to find a safer spot other than under a table. He didn't see Hank and was scared to even look. The riot was enough. Keeping out of sight was the best option, in order to save their lives.

"Erik –" Xavier began softly.

"Hush," Magneto interrupted, watching the living room door crack under the weight of the rioters and then push back. "Say nothing, do nothing. We can only watch this time."

Xavier knew that Magneto was right. He only hoped that something happened to keep them away from their friends. As he saw some of the group go upstairs, yelling that more mutants were bound to be hiding, two of them held Hank down. Each took turns punching Hank in the face. Xavier was so scared, perhaps for the third time in his life, that he only could watch the action without moving. One after another, Hank took the hits, smiling as he did. His mouth was covered in blood and he seemed drowned in it, his face sustaining bruises that almost made him unrecognizable. Xavier could almost swear that Hank's arms were broken from being held down, they were twisted back and were at an angle that seemed grotesque.

Screams were heard beyond the living room door. It prompted the tormentors forward, their religious slogans and words penetrating the door in terror. Magneto looked to Xavier, trying to get him to stop watching Hank's torture. Instead, he nodded at Xavier, taking advantage of the lack of attention again and pulling his friend into the closet nearest to hide, pulling the curtain across the doorway to hide. Without seeing the action, they would not be noticed. Without seeing the people they love chased after, they could be safe themselves.

Instead, they would content themselves with hearing it without being a witness to the crime. It would be their hell.

~00~

It was nightfall before the first wave of people came into the house. Danielle heard them coming down the street, calling for Hank to come out and play, and then all of them rushing in and trying to break down the door. Even though Logan had pushed the bed in front of it for some reinforcement, it still was not enough. The onset of pushing began and the people behind the door yelled for their deaths. Immediately, Logan ordered Rogue, Devon and Michael to keep the children back and went to the door, putting all of his weight onto it. Roger and Teller soon followed.

"Dammit," Roger muttered. "Why did they _have_ to pick this house, of all houses in this damned place?"

"Because we're so special and kind?" Teller suggested his tone sarcastic.

"All of you, shut up and put your weight in," Logan replied tartly to them both, feeling a fist hit him as the wood from the door vibrated against his chest. "Jesus Christ!"

Mae and Danielle could not stand there and not do anything anymore. In-between the screams outside their door, the whimpers of the children and their own deep fears, they felt that three was not enough to initial defense. They too went to the door, feeling the need to be backup in case. They kept to the bottom, keeping the bed in place as Roger, Teller and Logan stood on it and keep the door from cracking open. However, when one shot through the door, narrowly missing everyone, Logan, Teller and Roger had to jump down.

"Find anything," Logan gasped, trying to find his breath. "Find anything to reinforce."

Mae looked around them. "Coffee table, desk…"

"_Anything_, he said, woman!" Roger yelled, pushing his wife aside as he picked up the coffee table himself. "Get anything and pile it up and pray to God that nobody gets through! Keep low!"

There wasn't much in the way of furniture in the living room anyway. There was a computer desk that would have covered the whole doorway, but that was not going to be enough. Logan, Teller and Roger managed to haul it over the bed just as another shot came through and went right into the window behind them, the bullet stuck in the glass and board covering it. Mae and Danielle found the other desk in the hallway where the children were and tossed it at the edge of the bed. Michael had come out by then and threw the computer chair on top, adding the TV as an afterthought. When Logan gave him an evil eye for disobeying orders, Michael shrugged his shoulders, picked up the TV stand and placed it on the last spot possible, ducking when another shot went through the door.

"All right, get back there," Logan hissed at Michael.

While Michael listened this time, the other adults hugged the floor as if it would save them, sure that they furniture would temporarily help them. They listened to the cracking, the struggle and the swearing behind them before it slowed down. The crowd was beginning to let up, seeing that it was too much work to get through. Their adrenaline was slowly fading away, especially after a declaration of a death, the one of Hank. That alone would save them, Danielle reasoned, but not always. It was then that she closed her eyes, listening to the world pass by her as if it would end and hoping that Hank was not dead. Time passed so slowly that she thought that the world had stopped itself. Buzzing whirled in her ears as she breathed in and out, hoping that her children would at least be saved…

Suddenly though, it all stopped and the footsteps receded, some of them rushing for something heavy and dragging it out. The silence seemed deafening, like the end of a battle with so much dead to be accounted for and smoke to clear out. Danielle opened her eyes, seeing that nobody still moved. She looked over to the children and saw that they were still there, trembling and saying nothing. She then saw Rogue and Devon staring at her with wide eyes, like they could not believe what happened and how they lived through it. Logan and Roger exchanged glances themselves, motioning to everyone to stay put and for Teller to watch their backs. They braced themselves as they took what remained of the furniture down, the large pieces falling apart in their hands. When they opened what was left of the door, they saw what seemed to be the results of the Human Majority's work.

Blood was everywhere. Logan noticed it started in one corner, where the china cabinet was, and a thick trail went out to the broken door and the back hallway, so deep that it was a sickening black. What made him panic was that Hank, Magneto and Xavier were nowhere in sight and only a wheelchair remained behind, tipped over. Shaking, he and Roger thought the same thing and started calling out for people, unsure if they were still prey to the Human Majority. When they heard a weak voice call out from a closet, Roger followed it and checked, seeing Xavier and Magneto only. He helped the two up, Logan taking Xavier's left side as Magneto took the right, and assisted in seating them both. Xavier and Magneto said nothing to them, the shock was so evident.

Logan had never seen the two men like this before. He kneeled before Xavier, begging him to say something, _anything_, that would point them in the right direction. He promised Xavier many things, most of them revenge, but none of the words made sense and seemed to matter. All he knew that was clear was Xavier pointing his finger at the door. Logan knew that, if Xavier was that shaken, something had happened…and it was bad.

"They went that way," Xavier announced, his voice trembling as the truth could not be said. "They took Hank with them."

~00~

Ororo and Matthew kept everyone as quiet as they could and then prepared for what was coming as night fell. Children had stilled their cries, furniture was piled as thick and as high as they could get it and they each had a line of defense, the last being the children. However, when they heard people coming up the stairs, they all prepared for a fight…and found out that it was not coming. Granted, they heard threats and some of them calling out, but nothing extraordinary happened. Matthew heard some of them rummaging through the upstairs apartment, unsure of what they were doing, before he heard someone call out to them. It seemed that something had happened downstairs and that their goal had been achieved.

"Hank McCoy is dead! Hank McCoy is dead!"

The sentence was repeated over and over again, like it was a chorus to a song. The chant was soon taken up and the house seemed alive with the horrible sentiment. Matthew pressed himself against the furniture, unable and unwilling to believe what they were saying. If Hank McCoy was dead, where would they be? Who _else_ could die, if all of them had played the game of survival so well?

_Hank can't be dead. He just can't be!_

Ororo put a hand on Matthew's shoulder. "Maybe it's not true?" she suggested, but even her tone said otherwise. Her eyes threatened tears.

"It has to be," Matthew insisted. "It just needs to be. Why would they lie to us?"

"What needs to be true?" Kitty asked anxiously. "Is what they're saying to be true?"

"I'm afraid so," Bobby said behind her, his face planted in the window he pushed the cover off of. "Hank is…_dead. _It looks like he was beaten."

"Wait, wait, we'll see," Matthew announced, even if he thought Bobby's evaluation was true and that he needed to be invisible soon. "We'll make sure the scene is clear and we can go. Damage assessment comes _after_ we know it's safe to leave."

Everyone behind Matthew nodded. He saw that this was a good sign. Other than scared children and impatient bastards, he was sure he had everyone by the ear.

"In the meantime," Matthew continued, "we wait. I'm sure someone will come upstairs and let us know what's going on. Clear?"

"Clear," Bobby confirmed as he pulled the cover back on the window, his face grim.

"Crystal clear," Kitty added.

"I think you have your work cut out for you," Ororo observed quietly when everyone else added their consent.

"It was too easy," Matthew replied, his manner telling Ororo otherwise. "The hard part is going out there. We know what happened and we all got off too easy. We know what most of these mutants went through over the years we've been here. And if we've survived this and Hank did not, then what now? What will they send to ensure that we're all dead?"

Ororo froze. "The Sentinels."

"Yes, that's right." Matthew grinned, grim and tight. "The Sentinels will come. There might not be a damage assessment. We might just need to run for our lives."


	59. Hey, Jupiter

Jubilee knew that she came too late as soon as she came upon the white house, fearing the worst had happened. Everyone who had joined in the rioting had moved on to the next houses and soon left through the gate. However, before going forward, they left behind something heavy and large they deposited on the ground before the house. As soon as they moved towards their next murder, Jubilee crept in slowly, eying the object there circumspectly. She did not know what it was, but it did not move or respond when she tried giving a careful hello. When she took a closer look, she gasped and backed away, forcing herself not to throw up.

It was Hank McCoy, a mutant she knew as Beast. He was dead.

Jubilee shook, her knees so weak that she sank to them and scraped some skin. Her hands went to her heart, one over the other, feeling broken inside. She did not know exactly how it all happened, but she knew only a few things about those came. Hank McCoy had been beaten to death, dragged from his home and left disrespectfully in the yard to rot in no grave.

It hurt to look at the body. Jubilee did not know that a body could twist in different directions like his limbs did. They were all broken, hanging on him like a limp doll. His face had been beaten in, the middle of his face a series of bloodied holes, and his eyes and most of his teeth seemed to be missing. His clothes were soaked in a dark crusty material, but other than blood, Jubilee would not tell what since the scent was not all blood. She only she knew that he was the only known casualty. Inside, without any lights on, she could not see the life inside. However, she did hear some voices coming from the house.

All and all, it was a good sign to her. However, Jubilee soon had to dodge back into the bushes in the front yard, passing the body when she did. She heard some footsteps coming towards her and it wasn't the people she saw earlier. No, it seemed some others were coming this way. Guards, by the looks of them, but again, Jubilee was not sure. She had been so afraid of them over the years (indeed, with anyone who came near her) that she always hid. At this point, it was life or death. If Hank McCoy can be killed, anyone could be too.

"You think they got them all?" one man asked another, guns slung over their shoulders and their smiles so vicious. "I mean, Commander Hanks is a genius, to allow all of the Human Majority people in, but I think there's some left behind."

"Don't worry about it," the second man replied. "They won't be any mutants left here after tonight. At this point, the whole state of New York will be mutant free by dawn anyway."

"Do you mean…?"

"Yes! Everyone in New York known as a mutant that has not been transported out to a camp will be gone tonight. The camps are slowly getting rid of what they can when they can, but this place…this compassionate neighborhood is going to be turned into an empty one and left to the wolves. Commander Hanks is moving on. He has better fish to fry and so do we. He's decided that enough was enough and six years was more than enough time to give the mutants to live. He's right though. It was too merciful."

"So is the head of this country," the first man observed. "He's been so good to us, even to get rid of those people who tried getting into Long Island. Did you hear about that?"

The second man. "Yeah. Those fools, trying to land at the shore and invading with little in the way of forces. Marching in the name of peace, my ass. The man in charge has been captured time and again, but this time, he escaped and is still wanted. He and many others did, but that doesn't mean anything. He'll be back. We must be ready for him."

"What was his name again?"

"I don't know. Bishop, I think…"

By then, the voices moved away from Jubilee and the small white house, chatting about this and that as they patrolled the empty streets. Jubilee emerged from her hiding spot, but soon was down again when she saw lights above her head. She caught a quick glance and stayed secure in her place, hoping that the thing nearby wasn't going to acknowledge her anytime soon. She doubted it, even from the times she was free, and it was worth a shot in hell to run now.

The Sentinels had shown up. They truly were there to finish the job the Human Majority left behind.

~00~

Everyone had gathered upstairs, making plans to leave. Sunspot had talked of the tunnels he had found some years before and was organizing parties to take people through them. While Magneto had vocally complained that they did not know where they led, Sunspot countered that it might be their only chance. Sides were soon taken, voices were raised and one person stood to the side at the piano Commander Hanks had left behind, watching the sleeping children on the couches and hoping against everything that they would not have to die to see them killed this night.

Danielle could not help but think of those children. She did not even know what would happen after this night, knowing what she did. Hank had just been beaten to death. And for what resolution? His body dumped in the yard and left to rot and the remaining survivors of a lame riot to sit and argue forever? It was nothing that Hank ever wanted. Indeed, Danielle could almost see Hank in her mind, wording the speech he prepared just for this purpose. She may have had one night in his bed and ignited some ignored passion of his from years before (or so he said once), but she sure as hell kept him as a friend when she could, especially when he bothered to come back to the school. His wise words always seemed to play in her mind, but none seemed to defuse this argument. Danielle seemed too listless to care either way.

Playing with the piano with one hand and fingering her journal with another for a few minutes, Danielle hummed a tune and soon was using both hands to perform. She fiddled with it some more, thinking back some twenty years almost, and started to softly sing a song. It was nothing unusual, she thought, and it kept her mind off of things.

_No one's picking up the phone.  
Guess it's me and me.  
And this little masochist,  
She's ready to confess.  
All the things that I never  
Thought that she could feel…_

_Hey, Jupiter,  
Nothing's been the same.  
So, are you gay? Are you blue?  
Thought we both could  
Use a friend to run to.  
And I thought I wouldn't  
Have to be with you.  
Something with you…_

_Sometimes I breathe you in  
And I know you know.  
And sometimes you take a swim,  
Found your writing on my wall.  
Well, if my heart's soaking wet,  
Boy, your boots can leave a mess._

_Hey, Jupiter,  
Nothing's been the same,  
So, are you gay? Are you blue?  
Thought we both could  
Use a friend to run to  
And I thought you wouldn't  
Have to keep with me hiding._

_Thought I knew myself so well  
All the doubts I had,  
Took my leather off the shelf.  
Your apocalypse was fab.  
For a girl who couldn't choose  
Between the shower or the bath.  
And I thought I wouldn't  
Have to be with you, a magazine…_

_No one's pickin' up the phone.  
Guess it's clear, he's gone.  
And this little masochist  
Is lifting up her dress.  
Guess I thought I could  
Never feel the things I feel._

_Hey, Jupiter,  
Nothing's been the same.  
So, are you gay? Are you blue?  
Thought we both could  
Use a friend to run to._

_Hey, Jupiter,  
Nothing's been the same.  
So, are you safe, now we're through?  
Thought we both could  
Use a friend to run to.  
Hey, Jupiter…_

Before she knew it, Danielle was crying and had not realized she was until the song was over. By then, everyone had stopped arguing and was staring at her. Xavier wheeled himself over to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Danielle appreciated it, wiping her tears away before anyone else saw them. It was enough that everyone had seen her weaknesses over the years and would witness her breakdown into grief. Now, she needed to put all of that aside and stand tall. She turned to face everyone with the bravest smile she ever had to put on.

"What do you think we should we?" Xavier asked Danielle, as if her suggestions meant everything to them.

"Children out first," Danielle automatically declared. "Everyone under the age of thirteen are to go. Sunspot, you said that there were some tunnels?"

"Yes," Sunspot replied, sounding annoyed from the previous and recent altercation.

"Use them," Danielle ordered, her tone seeming final. "Yes, we don't know where they lead to, but that's small compared to our other problems. We're all without mutant powers and that's huge to me. I don't know what else it out there, but we all need to flip the switch. It's time we take back what is ours. Some of us can handle that. Others can lead the rest out. We only need a few people anyway."

"And who do you suggest you bring?" Roger demanded, his eyes still a pit of fire.

"Sounds a volunteer, if I ever saw one," Magneto commented.

"Yes," Xavier said. "We only need a few to come that way. Sunspot, you lead the rest of us out of here. I will stay here with Magneto. Roger, you said you would stay?"

Roger muttered something similar to assent. Mae visibly went for his hand for reassurance. It would be another instance they would be separated, but Danielle had been right. Compared to many things, the personal problems were very small.

"Someone needs to check the other houses too," Mae reminded them, remembering that Gil was still around and might be alive.

"They would come out, once they know there's a way to," Xavier reminded her. "We do need to meet somewhere though."

"There's a park somewhere nearby, in Salem Center," Michael volunteered. "I know there's some woods there."

"And what's the second if that does not work?" Logan asked.

"The farm," Michael replied stoutly. "Mom has hundreds of acres back there and plenty of hiding places. I think it's been enough years to know we're not going back. I'm sure it's abandoned by now."

"He has a point," Blink added, to give the argument strength when Logan wanted to retort.

"Then, it's settled." Xavier looked at everyone carefully. "Children out first. Take anyone we can when we leave. I do need more people to stay here though. We will meet up with the others, perhaps a week from now at the most. After gaining our powers, I do have a special assignment and only need the few planning on destroying the disabler. Danielle, Logan, Storm, Roger, Teller and Rogue shall stay here. All others, I would suggest you leave now, without delay."

Immediately, there was some scrambling and a few goodbyes. Sunspot took on the role of leader quickly, assigning people to pick up the sleeping children and herd the others out while it was still quiet. Blink picked up her children and took Janie by the hand, the little girl's face encased in tears to say goodbye to her father. Danielle quickly kissed all of her children, promising to meet up with them again, and waited until everyone had left before looking to Xavier. Footsteps receded into the distance, to the east, and would hopefully not meet up with anyone that would cause them harm. This other assignment had her interested though.

"So, Charles, what _else_ are you planning?" Magneto asked, his eyes curious.

"You'll see, Erik," Xavier replied vaguely. "For now though, I am willing to wait a few more minutes before going outside. I have a feeling."

"What kind?" Logan seemed to be on edge. "Because I am sensing some trouble coming."

"I am too," Rogue added.

"I can't say I don't either," Danielle chimed in. "Why send in a riot when there's more worthy things to finish up the job?"

"Because there is," Teller responded, pointing to the window. "See those lights?"

"I do," Ororo said, pulling aside a curtain. "What are they, you think?"

"Either they're good spotlights or we have Sentinels," Roger muttered. "We best get moving."

"Be the shield before anyone becomes a target," Magneto said, his words like an old man imparting wisdom to those younger and wilder. "Let's go. Ghost, you and Wolverine run for that switch. Charles and I shall be the back defense. The rest of you, distract and be in the middle."

"With what charms, might I ask?" Teller inquired, feeling sarcastic at the moment.

"With anything you can get your human body to do," Roger butted in, before Magneto exploded. With a wave of his hand, he indicated that they meet their fate. "Let's go!"

* * *

**Above lyrics are from the Tori Amos song, "Hey, Jupiter". If you listen to her singing it on SNL, it's actually beautiful.**


	60. Our Time's Up

It was a slow and careful pace that led them all outside to meet what was next. Magneto and Xavier stayed at the back end of the driveway, content with watching the action for now, but the others moved forward. Logan and Danielle knew the device to be near the entranceway on the left, some houses away from them. Rogue and Ororo covered their backs as Roger and Teller took the right and center side. Ororo came up to Logan as he stopped with Danielle, taking cover by a fence to watch the Sentinels. They needed to know how to make their first run.

"Teamwork, remember?" Ororo said, laughing nervously.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your panties in a bunch again," Logan replied sarcastically, feeling weak and rubbing his forehead's ache. "I've got this."

"Don't let him fool you, Storm," Danielle said as she watched the Sentinels walk closer to them when they had been made known behind the fence. "He knows how to work as a team."

"When he wants to," Ororo added, smiling. Soon though, it was wiped from her face as a footstep from afar shook the ground.

"That's our cue," Rogue observed.

"Keep back," Ororo warned, pulling Rogue back with her and heading to the streets.

Danielle watched the lights carefully as she and Logan left their hiding spot. They seemed like spotlights for the most part coming from the open face of the Sentinel. They shone upon them, showing them to the Sentinels and to make them blind. One step at a time, only four of them stepped over the gate easily enough, their stride forward almost like an earthquake. Two of them went in one direction, going around a block perhaps, and the other two came towards her and Logan. Hearing the affirmative behind her from Roger to go, Danielle ran for it. Both of the Sentinels turned their lights off and tried shooting at her and missed by a few inches each time, but soon were interested in Logan, who immediately ran up to one and sliced with his claws, from throat to right leg.

While the disabled one danced with Logan, Rogue and Ororo made themselves known too and soon attracted the second Sentinel away from Logan, noting that Teller and Roger stayed put and ready, although both were sure that the last Sentinels would be on their tails soon enough. Ororo took a good look at their opponent and thought it more difficult to battle nearly indestructible robots, but recalled that she and Scott used to also have self-defense classes too, to show that one couldn't always depends on mutant powers. She hoped that Rogue remembered them, soon seeing her dodging a blast from the Sentinel and watching the blast bounce from one house with metal siding and hit them, denting their flakier armor.

_It's causing damage._ Ororo then had an idea.

"Get them closer to that house," Ororo ordered Rogue as the one came after them, pointing to the right. "And keep moving!" The two of them split up, moving as fast as they could to out race the one Sentinel on their tails.

In front of them, Logan battled his opponent. He disabled it enough for it to hit the ground and it appeared motionless, the cut he placed in there deeper than the initial shot. He retracted his claws, feeling dizzy from the adamantium getting into his bloodstream, and watched Danielle run for the gate. He noticed how slow she was getting, limping as she raced, and then watched as she collapsed just feet from the device that would save them, a fiery blast from one of the missing Sentinels hitting her in the back of her bad knee. He got his claws right back out, seeing the robot helping the one he just sliced into pieces. Quickly looking around, he saw that the third was still with Rogue and Ororo and the fourth now engaging with Roger and Teller.

"No, no, no!" Danielle screamed from afar, trying to get up. She couldn't though, the burn disabling her. "No, no, no, _no_!"

Logan wasn't thinking. He knew it wasn't in his nature because he acted out of instinct most of the time, but he could not afford the luxury of scheming out a plan this time. Claws back in, he ran for Danielle. Without hesitating and looking behind him, he reached her and used himself as a human shield, dragging her to the gate as the Sentinels paid more heed to him than anyone else. Danielle had to get to the device, she just _had_ to. If she didn't, fighting the Sentinels with nothing more than human skill would kill them.

At first, Logan didn't notice the pain in his back as the hot bursts made contact. The heat had been something he handled better than anything else, something he never minded. However, even as he took on Danielle's almost dead weight and the agony the Sentinels fired at him, he was soon weakening. He was feeling determined to cross over and achieve the impossible, even if it was a nightmare.

Screaming something animalistic and incomprehensible as he walked, Logan managed to get Danielle through the last few yards to the gate. They both collapsed at that point, Logan in front of Danielle with his back still exposed and the Sentinels kept their focus on him. Creeping closer, they blasted their fire in their direction, so much so that the smell of burning flesh and melting adamantium was becoming unbearable for the two of them to handle. Even Danielle was having a hard time breathing it in, knowing that the poison itself could kill her too.

But Danielle did not have time to think either, the pain of the burn rolling over like a wave. She felt Logan drag her, protect her when she could not do it herself, and she had to do something to repay that love. She reached for the lever at the gate with shaking hands, expecting something to extraordinary to happen as her hands pulled it down. Nothing did though, even as the seconds turned to minutes. She knew it was the right one, saw them put it together and overheard their plans when she wasn't supposed to. Now, that one hope had died and with that, them as well.

Near to tears, Danielle put her hands on Logan's face, stroking it. "Listen to me, _please_ listen to me, Logan," she started begging, knowing that Logan was only going to take so much. "We've had so little time together, it seems. And I want you to know that I've always loved you, even from the start. Nothing will change that. You've been a great father to the kids. You've been there for me when you couldn't for yourself and even _found_ me. You got me out of a hole I couldn't have gotten out of…all because of _you_. You're the reason I live and die, Logan, and if you die tonight, I will too."

Gasping, Logan stared at Danielle. His eyes were something she did not recognize, something far gone. The light was slowly fading away. He was almost gone.

Danielle kissed Logan one more time. "I love you, babe. Please don't die. Please don't let your sacrifice be in vain."

~00~

It had taken some minutes, but Roger and Teller soon got their action. As soon as Logan and Danielle took on the two Sentinels, Rogue and Ororo got one to themselves and the last came on them, popping out randomly from a house on their right. Running past them at one point, Ororo mentioned that the metal siding of the houses defects some of the shots and comes back at them. Teller thought it a good thing to know, since none of them had their mutant abilities back yet, but he and Roger had to keep moving in order to avoid getting killed. He saw that the lever had been pulled though, yet none of them were feeling more than human.

_Patience is the key, right?_ Teller had to reassure himself, moving as fast as his old body would allow him to direct the Sentinels elsewhere and to get away when he could. _Jesus Christ, I am getting too old for this._

As they initially dodged their challenger, Roger and Teller soon found themselves in-between some houses on the south end of the neighborhood, taking a rest before discovered once more. They lost track of Rogue and Ororo some time ago, seeing them run into someone's backyard last. The last they saw Danielle and Logan, they were still at the gate. They were alone now, but it wasn't going to be long before the Sentinel chasing them would find them. Teller was sure of it, constantly checking left and right, up and around, to ensure a moment's respite. He knew that the robots would blend in with their environment and keep watch, in order to find their best opportunity to get them.

"You…you think we lost them for a second?" Teller asked, still trying to catch his breath.

"I don't know," Roger admitted. "This has been the trickiest fight I've ever had to endure."

"And nothing about Danielle, huh? What was that sword fight a while back about?"

"Fuck off, old man. That was nothing compared to this."

"Look at yourself, Roger. You think you're not as old as I am? _Please_. You're older by a few years. Besides, from what I've heard, she gave you an ass whipping and that was after Logan tried jumping in and you made him stay."

"Don't remind me. She almost didn't know it was me at the end, before she realized what happened."

"Ha! I knew it!" Teller laughed, a soft chuckle to avoid attention. He then continued to look around though, anxious about the Sentinels.

With another swift look to the right, Teller felt something underneath his feet shake. It wasn't quite like a tremor, but a heavy and harsh wind that swept under his feet. As it passed him and almost tripped him, something happened inside of him. It was a warm feeling that surrounded him from head to toe, swirling around him in circles almost, before it left him and slipped away. When he looked to Roger, the same incredulous face showed what Teller knew in his heart too. Teller only had to put his hands to his cheeks, to feel the familiar diamond-shaped blades, to know that the impossible had happened.

Their mutant powers had returned. It was now a fair game.

It took a little practice, but Roger managed to get some fire started in his hands. He played with it for a minute, twisting the multicolored flames between his fingers that he missed so much, and soon turned their area dark once more. Teller had pulled off a few black diamond from his cheeks and had cracked a few of them against the house on front of them, making sure that the were real. He was satisfied and ready for the Sentinels to come back.

"Ready?" Roger asked.

"As I'll ever be." Teller pulled him out from between the houses. "Hit it!"

Immediately, the Sentinel saw them. It ran for them, but did not last so long. Roger threw some green fire at it, which caused some confusion for a moment, and Teller nicked it with his diamond blades in a few key areas, which disabled it completely. The robot was so jumbled by the distraction and its impending doom that it fell into a house next to it, debris from it flying in the pair's direction. Some of it missed Teller (a few scraps of bricks hit him in the legs), but others hit Roger square in the face. Roger felt himself fall backwards, his head aching from the bricks that hit him, and he hit the ground, immobile and unable to recover.

But Teller knew what was going to happen before it did. The Sentinel was dead, yes, but their turn for danger was not yet over. The house the Sentinel tumbled into teetered for a moment before finally starting to rock back and forth, threatening to fall towards them. Teller knew that he was out of the way, but Roger was still trying to focus and recover from getting hit in the head from the last volley. There was no time to think though. Roger had to get out of the way or he was going to die. And that was something he could not tolerate. Mae would never forgive him.

_Forgive me instead, Janie. I love you. Our time's just up._

"Firebird, watch out!" Teller yelled, running as fast as his body would allow him to. He pushed Roger roughly out of the way with the last of his strength just as the house started crumbling, the heavy structure finally falling into the streets.

The only thing Roger remembered was being pushed several feet away from his last position. He felt the road burn as it hit him in the face and legs at first and then in the back as he rolled over involuntarily. He tried the best he could to defect the blows from the skidding by putting his arms up, landing some yards away with sore arms and staying as still as he could to escape the building collapse. Dust and the last of the rubble flew past him as he came to a stop. He kept his head low just in case, only lifting it when he felt it was safe. By then, the dust was clearing out.

Roger got up with shaky legs, assessing the situation with a muddled mind, trying to clear it as he walked. He saw no sign of Teller. Indeed, he figured the former bar owner managed to get away from the rubble. Roger called his name a few times as his mind raced with a million thoughts, seeing if Teller would answer, but received nothing. This, for some reason, filled Roger with fear. He ran as fast as he could to the remains of the house that fell, searching for some clue as to what happened to Teller and stopped when something unusual stuck out in his mind. He walked over, breathing in the last of the dirt, and looked down.

It was an outstretched arm, detached from a body underneath the rubble. In the hand was a diamond-shape blade.

Without knowing why, Roger fell to his knees and began to weep.


	61. Redemption

They kept running, from house to house and yard to yard, without stopping, and soon took a turn at the fence and continued up another block. The Sentinel was pretty shrewd, always behind them and aiming pretty close, but Ororo and Rogue were faster and smarter than a simple robot programmed to kill them. Ever since finding out that the metal in the house siding bounced back at the robots, she ran to any of them that had it, even in circles if need be. It was slowing down their predator little by little and that was all that mattered to her. Her plan was working.

The wind seemed to pick up from behind them as they ran though, threatening to trip them as they continued to make themselves prey. Rogue noticed it too, Ororo noted, and they both almost tripped over it in their desperation to get to another metal sided house. Last Ororo knew though, wind didn't knock anyone over like that unless it was a hurricane or tornado and it didn't aim specifically for feet either. This one that followed them seemed to know where it was going and why. It was almost visible too, like a white force whipping around them, and disappeared as soon as she saw it wrap around her from the bottom upward before disappear.

Rogue finally fell into someone's yard, the Sentinel still recovering from its last hit and shaking off the last blast. Ororo stopped as she passed Rogue, running back to her and helping her up. In the process, she realized how warm she felt inside. Like the wind, it wrapped itself around her, top to bottom, and soon left her. Then, without warning, storm clouds started swirling around them. Ororo did not realize that it wasn't natural until looking at her hands and feeling the familiar tingling back in them. She then looked up at the skies and smiled, feeling her eyes turn white with power.

"Come on, Rogue," Ororo called out, holding out her hand. "I think we need the double of the power."

Rogue realized what happened. "Storm, we've got –"

Ororo had no time to argue this time. She grabbed Rogue's hand, feeling the most unusual sensation from her hands, and started feeling the power behind the weather as not only she started a storm, but Rogue seemed to add to it. It exaggerated itself in Rogue and she started copying Ororo. Before the two of them knew it, two storms were brewing above their head, the wind and rain pushing at their pursuer. Rogue, with Ororo's help, directed it at the Sentinel that was still recovering. The final lightning bolt that Ororo then conjured up aimed itself at the heart of the robot, shocking it into collapse. Just as Ororo pulled herself away from Rogue, feeling that two powers were not necessary anymore and seeing the storms waver, she watched as the Sentinel fell to the ground, appearing to be dead.

Rogue watched in utter fascination. "We did it," she said, incredulous that her powers did something good for once, even though they had in the past.

"We did," Ororo confirmed, putting a gentle hand on Rogue's shoulder. "We did it."

Rogue did not like how comfortable it was to have someone not be afraid of her powers and to touch her. Younger fears started resonating in her and she pulled away from Ororo. She walked forward to the Sentinel, unbelieving that this machine was dead and all partially because of her. She _still_ could not believe it. After all this time, she finally found herself to be useful and not for the small things, like crossing bridges and unlocking doors. She was so amazed at herself, walking around that Sentinel, that she did not notice a shadow behind her. She turned around just as she saw something in the corner of her eye, surprised as it ran towards her, hugging her in a shove backwards.

"Rogue, watch out!" the shadow called out to her.

There was no time to react. Rogue felt herself get pushed away from the Sentinel, landing in someone's garden face-first some feet away. She tasted dirt and flowers, spitting them out immediately. When she looked up though, she saw the shadow with the revived robot, battling it much the same way she and Ororo did. As Ororo pulsated as much of the weather she could control from behind, the unknown mutant was shooting electric power from the front. The weather did not seem to affect the Sentinel much (the previous time didn't kill it either), but the electric power from her savior was helping this time. She saw the shooting for the key areas, again using the robot's powers against itself as the person also ran back and forth in the same yard to escape, the metal from the house still bouncing back fire.

Rogue knew that she could not just stand there. She got up, running towards the Sentinel. She did not know what to do, since she could reproduce another's power with touch, but she sure as hell wasn't going to allow the person to just fight with Ororo alone. She soon stopped though, seeing that the fight was handled by that one person at this point, and she soon felt like a bystander without a plan. She then turned to Ororo. Weakened by an overuse of powers in a short period of time, Ororo stopped too, suddenly collapsing on the ground as the storm behind her receded and soon disappeared.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion, Rogue noticed. She momentarily saw the person turn to her, the eyes shining so brightly, and watched what seemed like the final stages of the battle. The two exchanged several shots, most of them hitting the Sentinel, but the last one from each combatant went out at the same time. The Sentinel shot fire from its face and the mysterious mutant shot the last of her electric powers at the Sentinel. The Sentinel took the last hit and fell, this time truly dead, but its final one did not hit a house this time.

The mysterious savior of Rogue's fell to the ground face first, not moving as the fire ripped her apart and left her body smoking. Rogue finally ran over when she knew it was safe, kneeling before the person and turning over the body and holding it in her arms. Who it was shocked Rogue into silence. Burned from neck to torso with an arm almost detached was Jubilee. Much older, recently tortured and even halfway to being naked, Jubilee appeared to be dead. Rogue tried feeling for a pulse, finding a weak one at the throat, and looked over to Ororo for assistance or to see what she could do to help the older mutant too, feeling so helpless as she looked back and forth between the two.

Ororo was still unconscious. Rogue was alone.

Rogue started brushing out what was left of Jubilee's dark hair with her fingers, feeling the snags stop her tender movement. She started feeling tears come down from her face, wiping them as she worked. Hell, it had been years since she had seen Jubilee. They had been sent to a camp together, but she was not sure what happened to her classmate after Leon Ellis' assassination, feeling that Jubilee was sent somewhere she would never be heard from again. Now, almost ten years after it all happened, there she was. After all of the time spent in helping to ruin her life, Jubilee had saved Rogue's life without thought and was unselfish about it.

Something had changed with Jubilee. Rogue just didn't know what or how. All she knew was that her life had been spared and Jubilee had made the ultimate sacrifice.

After some time (even Rogue didn't know how much had passed), Jubilee began to open her eyes. They were glassy, Rogue noticed, and did not have the shine they used to have. Jubilee then started smiling for no reason, as if losing an arm and being burnt severely were things that weren't a concern. Just seeing that renewed Rogue's tears. She shook her head, unsure of why Jubilee seemed so happy to be close to death.

"Don't…cry," Jubilee said, her voice almost like a faraway whisper. "Forgive me."

"What's there to forgive?" Rogue's tears turned to heavy sobs, blinding her. "What's there to forgive _now_?"

Rogue put her face to the body's stench, not caring if it was overwhelming, and continued to cry. When she stopped, the tears exhausted and her mouth so dry, she looked up to see how Jubilee was. She put her fingers to Jubilee's throat to feel for a pulse and hope that she would live, but there was nothing there. The eyes were still open. They weren't full of life anymore and appeared in every way to be excited about the next life. No movement was made except for the light breeze of midnight, stroking the singed hair everywhere.

Jubilee was dead, Rogue knew. All this, and to save her life too.

~00~

Danielle closed her eyes, trying to shut out the pain. She did not want to think about Logan dying and her following him, but she had no choice. Her arms, soon wrapped around Logan now, felt the flesh burnt away and the adamantium skeleton melting in her hands. She did not care about the heat and burns on her hands, since it would not matter if she died. The Sentinels only kept creeping closer and closer, their injuries nothing compared to what the two dying mutants had. Seconds remained, Danielle knew. She was only glad she kissed her children goodbye and was with Logan in the end.

Time passed, but nothing happened. Danielle knew what death was like and did not expect a continuing blackness like she had now. She opened her eyes, seeing that she and Logan were surrounded by a blue and silver bubble, a strong one that the Sentinels could not penetrate and one that she was controlling, their claws scratching against it. She felt the other half of her mind start to fill in, as if Jay was with her and greeting her after so many years, and her hands were tingling with power. Her mind even processed the many voices in her head and the memories of herself and others. The liquid adamantium slipped from her fingers as Logan's back mended itself. He groaned, cracking his neck. He still felt pain, but it was slowly retreating.

Logan stood up feebly, shaking the years of humanness of out his mind, and helped Danielle up. They looked at each other, Logan taking Danielle's hands into his. Immediately, the two reconnected and Danielle took some of Logan's strength, healing herself when her powers had been too slow to. She did not want to take more of his, knowing that it would be a long road to get used to their mutant powers again.

"How are you doing this?" Logan glanced around their protective cover. "You normally need help."

"I don't know," Danielle admitted, amazed. "I really don't know, but it's amazing to see."

"Ready?" Logan then asked Danielle, unsure of how to process this new change of events. He shrugged his shoulders, as if this was nothing, and allowed his claws to be released, without feeling sick from the use of the adamantium.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Danielle watched as the two Sentinels tried their best to pierce through the bubble. "Let's do this."

Almost without effort, Danielle evaporated the bubble. As soon as she did though, she and Logan went into two different directions, the claws of the Sentinels narrowly missing them. The mangled Sentinel chased after Logan, intent on finishing the job. It followed Logan through the nearest house, entering through the open door with Logan so far ahead and hopping over dead bodies left behind by the Human Majority. He ran up the stairs of the house's hallway, feeling the heat of the Sentinel miss him constantly, and reached the top. With so much speed already, he ran for a wall, bouncing from it and using the power from the push to fly down the stairs to the Sentinel, using his claws to cut off its head. The cry for help went through, but Logan managed to slice the rest of the body and wiring apart before more came.

Getting used to his powers again, Logan walked around the house slowly, retracting his claws and relaxing. He then spotted some cigars on a side table, only three left out of a large box, and he could not resist taking them. After so many years of suffering without his usual vices, he could not help but take the remaining ones and pocket them. On second thought, he took one out and went to the dead Sentinel. Some of the wiring was still sparking wildly, which served as the perfect lighter for now. Logan took advantage of that, using the dying sparks to light his cigar up. After a few minutes, he was able to get it started, inhaling the taste, albeit he had to admit that it was pretty cheap.

"Thanks, bub," Logan said to the Sentinel. "I needed that."

Walking over to the window as he smoked his cigar, Logan then watched Danielle finished up the last Sentinel after them. He wasn't sure how she did it (her powers still seemed like a mystery to him), but she managed to almost take control of the Sentinel as she continued to run, managing its mind, and soon saw it explode into pieces…all with her mind. She smiled broadly as she stopped, seeing him in the window, and waved him over. Logan continued to smoke as he walked out of the house, meeting Danielle in the streets.

"We need to find the others," Logan commented, finishing up the cigar and putting it out at his heel.

"Well, I see we've just gotten back to our habits," Danielle said sarcastically, noticing that Logan had been smoking. "Other than that, you're right. We need to find the others."

"Don't be a bitch," Logan warned.

"I am not," Danielle replied confidently. "I'm just observing."

"Observing, my ass."

"Haha, very funny, Logan. You know you're gaining fluency in your second language again."

"So are you, it seems."

The argument went on for a few more minutes, until they reached their place of residence and quieted down. By then, Rogue, bloodied up and hardly hurt, was walking towards them, a weakened Ororo supported on one side. Logan saw this and ran towards them, taking Ororo's other side and meeting back up with Danielle.

"I'm fine," Ororo insisted, shrugging Logan and Rogue off. "Over usage of my powers."

"We all did," Rogue added.

"We can't be overdoing it though," Danielle declared, seeing Ororo so wobbly. "We need to take it easy before we all get used to this."

The silence afterward was overwhelming. Then, they all noticed Hank's dead body at the same time, all of them thinking the same thing about how they would miss him. Logan went over to the body, taking off his black jacket and putting it over the body for some respect. They all stood there in a thoughtful hush until they heard footsteps. Logan immediately set his claws out, but soon retracted when he smelled who was coming. He calmed, seeing the shadow coming closer to them.

It was Roger. Hurt, Roger walked as if in terrible pain and soon stopped before the group, scared to tell the story he had to witness. Without Teller behind him, the silent tale said everything. Danielle closed her eyes and shook in terror, most of all afraid of the little girl who no longer had parents. She then opened her eyes as her powers picked up more voices, the loudest of which was hearing Xavier call out to them from the back darkness of the driveway. Nodding to everyone, together the five of them walked towards him and Magneto.

Xavier's face was grim as he saw everyone coming back. "We have one more assignment before we meet up with the others."

"You keep saying that, but you have yet to tell us what it is," Logan observed.

"We're going back to Salem Center, one last time," Xavier replied, revealing at least where they were going.

Ororo and Danielle exchanged a glance. "Why, Professor?" Ororo asked. "Why do we need to go back to Salem Center?"

"There is one more thing we need to do, something I wish we had done years before we initially left," Xavier answered, his voice full of regret. "I have never wished for any lives to be lost, but now we might not have a choice because we will lose even more if we don't. We need to go back to the mansion and enter through the underground, to gather what we can and set it to self-destruct from below."


	62. Sacrifices Never in Vain

Quickly, the seven exited through the gate of the ghetto, finding their belongings in the office building next to the gate before sneaking away. They were free for the first time in years and did not want to be caught again, setting a grueling course to Salem Center as they ignored their grief and left behind so much. By the time the next afternoon came, with no sun in the sky and the day humid and warm, they managed to dodge what had remained of the population and the guards of the small town they all had memories of. Although few people remained in Salem Center, fear drove them inside and allowed them no freedom and past riots made them wary, evident from the way the town had been looted and burned. Indeed, as the group hid through the remaining woods and farms, their only destination seemed to be the church nearby the mansion.

It was Xavier's idea. "Sanctuary isn't something anyone takes as a jest anymore," he explained as they neared the church. "The name of God still invokes fear in some people."

"Why fear an all-powerful entity that does not exist?" Magneto asked.

"It's not just that, I would assume," Ororo remarked, sounding thoughtful. "Death also bothers some people. Why would someone search for us here, when they think we're also dead?"

"There's enough bodies in that ghetto," Roger replied. "However, if someone counts and finds that we're not there, the game is on."

"Regardless," Xavier continued, "we shall be safe here for a few days, at the most. We can meet the others later."

The seven entered the church. The doors were swinging on loose hinges, the light inside only from candles lit maybe a day or two before. Worshippers still came here and some even kneeled at the pews in simple prayer, but some were dead or dying, mostly from malnutrition or wounds. Danielle passed them, recalling when she was a child, when her family was alive and sanctuary something she never knew existed. Now, she was running for her life and sitting here in wait.

None of the people recognized them. For all they knew, mutant or human, they were just another group of people seeking shelter when their homes and lives had been destroyed. Xavier and Magneto found a corner set of confessional pews they would sit and sleep at, somewhere they knew that they wouldn't be overheard. Rogue, Logan, Danielle and Ororo sat on one side and Magneto, Xavier and Roger faced them, all of them looking at each other severely. Rogue especially peered at Xavier strangely, as if the man who taught her so much, especially to be peaceful, was becoming a sort of terrorist.

"So, what do you mean, we need to self-destruct the school?" Rogue asked, starting the conversation off before anyone else spoke.

"Trask has been using the school since they invaded it some years ago," Xavier explained gently. "It's a tragedy that they used a school for mutants for their research to terminate humanity and mutantkind. In order to save more lives, we need to at least stop the center."

"They might build again," Logan pointed out. "It's an act of extremism, if you think about it."

"Charles?" Magneto quietly put his hand on Xavier's shoulders, the millions questions on his mind kept silent.

"There are so many weapons and files in the mansion," Xavier continued to explain, as if any other argument was void. "It's a matter of time before they found them out and used them against us. Instead of recovering, it's better to destroy everything."

The unspoken words hung in the air. Danielle had a feeling that Xavier did not like Trask using his home, his _school_, for their research purposes. The years that Trask had a chance to conduct their enquiries and experiments, they had the chance to go through the whole house, taking files and copying them into notes. They used all of that information against the mutants in order to combat them. It would explain why the Sentinels had gotten so advanced. It would also explain why the humans were so knowledgeable and were able to control them so easily.

To destroy a place meant that it would take longer to rebuild. Trask would either have to find a new site or start again, brick by brick. Yes, it would be an act of terrorism, but it was easier to allow them nothing than to see them control everything.

"I never knew you had a cold heart, Charles," Magneto remarked sarcastically. "Are you sure this needs to be done?"

"In war, anything to keep you alive would do," Xavier replied, almost sharply too. "Now, usually I would say we could enter from the garage, but that's sure to be watched. Another way in is through the basketball court."

"Isn't that where the X-Jet is parked?" Ororo asked, remembering. "It should be underneath it."

"Right," Xavier said. "There's a doorway nearby, a stairwell that would do. We just need to ensure our own safety. If that area is secured, we need to find another way in."

"But that means going inside," Ororo protested.

Xavier held his hand up. "We'll get there when we need to. Now, Danielle?"

"Yes, Professor?" Danielle looked at Xavier.

"You and Rogue would do some reconnaissance, as it were," Xavier ordered. "On the way, you can temporarily disable any security cameras and devices. Once it's cleared and we know we can enter without detection, we'll use the stairwell near the basketball court."

"What exactly are you planning on getting there, Professor?" Logan asked, fishing in his pocket for something. He took out a cigar, leaving in his mouth unlit.

"I would assume everyone needs some fresh clothes." Xavier rubbed his forehead, as if he had a headache. "We can pack some essentials and use the X-Jet to leave, if it's possible."

"You mean, get some basic necessitates and some weapons." Magneto chuckled.

"It makes sense," Roger pointed. "I know that some files have disappeared from the mansion since Leon Ellis entered and made it Trask's personal center. I grabbed a few, but they're still in my study."

"Which isn't doing us any good," Ororo butted in.

"Yeah, I know." Roger sighed. "Once the mansion is destroyed, our next move has been declared. It's been some years since the first. We tried making a second and it didn't go over so well. This is our third."

"It's usually the charmer," Logan said.

Danielle smiled. "I agree. It makes more sense. I'm in."

"It won't equal the dead we lost, but it'll save more lives," Rogue added. "I'm in."

"I don't need to say whether or not I am," Ororo chimed in. "I'll do it."

Xavier looked at Roger and Logan in equal measures. "And you both?"

Roger knew that Xavier had his answer from him, but was also sure that he needed it out loud. "You know I am. I did anything you needed me to and this time probably won't be the last."

Logan took his cigar out of his mouth. "I am starting to not like revenge. I've been down that road too many times before. I've been through too many wars and haven't seen anything like this before. It's us or them, at this point, and I cannot allow them to get at the rest of the world. I'll do it."

Xavier didn't need Magneto's answer. He knew that one of his oldest friends would come with him on an adventure like this, through thick and thin, and enjoy it too. Although older, Xavier was also sure that Magneto would enjoy the run and the chase. Throughout the years, Magneto also blew up buildings and killed people too numerous for Xavier to count. To finally destroy the last link to a mutant's safety because it was in the hands of those who knew no better would actually make Magneto happy, although Xavier was pretty sure that he too would be as saddened as he was by the loss. It was an us or them situation, a person cornered into making a decision, and it was something Xavier did not take lightly. He knew the consequences of his actions and would pay for them later.

"Then, it's settled," Xavier announced quietly, seeing a priest pass nearby. "Tomorrow, we go have a look. If things go well, we can leave here by tomorrow night and pick up the others."

"And where to afterward?" Rogue asked, unsure of what the new future would being now that they had left the ghetto. "What would we do?"

"Away from the America continent, I suppose." Xavier shrugged his shoulders. "The Pacific islands are beautiful this time of years, I hear, and would be wonderful to hide away from once we are through. As to what we would do…I don't know. There are so many things one can do once we can start living again. Once you have a life again, one of your own, you can choose and be free. However, I don't think the struggle will end. We can pretend all we want that things are normal, but it will come closer. Until then, we will continue the fight and to hope."

~00~

The next morning was tranquil and cloudy. Alone while waiting for Rogue and Danielle to come back, Logan stared at the gravestones under the trees in the veterans' section with a lot of curiosity. The grey skies above his head made the atmosphere around him more morbid, but that did not deter him from staying there. Indeed, it was calming to stare at something you could never understand, to glare at what remained of people you were only told about and could never meet. Nobody spoke of them often, but Danielle could perhaps recall them with warmth, even though most of her memories had been blurred from one drunken night into the next, a child in an adult world.

The names of Jayden and Fiona Mitchell stared back at him equally curious too. The stones a little chipped and some spray paint declared them mutants (although Logan was sure Danielle said her sister-in-law was human), but all and all, the resting places seemed undisturbed and wondrously beautiful, even for a spot at the cemetery. Even the dirt underneath him remained intact. Logan only hoped that it remained like that for years, for Danielle's sake mostly, if that counted for anything.

Logan soon heard someone approaching and relaxed. He knew that it was Xavier by the way the grass crunched with the movement of the wheelchair. He did not move over as the wheelchair carefully came down the hill and rested next to him. Indeed, Logan noticed that Xavier appeared every bit as thoughtful as he was and regarded the dead before them with respect. He did not think the Professor a religious man to begin with, but was starting to think that he perhaps missed the people that were buried before them.

"How much did Danielle tell you?" Xavier asked Logan, not bothering to even find out for himself. He knew Danielle to be a private person. He wasn't going to intrude on what Logan knew either.

"Depends," Logan replied honestly. "I got bits and pieces. The best description I had of her and her brother was confident and cocky."

Xavier laughed. "You talked with Mae, didn't you?"

Even Logan had to smile. "Yeah. Yeah, I did. She started it all."

"Danielle is very complex," Xavier started explaining. "She led so many lives and acted through on many things to keep secrets she didn't need to or felt she was protecting someone. Jean knew her the best, guided her when she could, but in the end, some are their own enemy in the end and turn on themselves. However, I am thinking that Danielle marrying Senator Ellis might have been a good thing, in very few ways of course, taming her when she could not. Being with her brother and Roger Mortimer started to destroy her. She was not even twelve when Jay started her on the long road to become an assassin. She thought it was all in fun and games when it started, even thinking it an achievement to knock Jay unconscious. She didn't think that it was serious, to seek justice and kill a few people on the way to accomplish it. She thought it was something she needed to so, that it was normal for someone to. She was too naïve in many ways."

"She was a child," Logan protested. "You can't blame one for acts of the past."

"No, you can't," Xavier conceded. "However, if there was something I could have changed, it was deciding that Roger Mortimer and Jayden Mitchell were to be her guardians instead of her mother. Don't get me wrong, Logan. Roger is a good friend, but even he is too cold for his own good sometimes and would destroy a child's innocence, like I hoped Danielle would keep before she realized who she really was. And Jay…Jay was a broken veteran suffering from a war that never left his head. Nobody could have reached him, not even me. He couldn't, especially after his wife was killed in that car accident before he came home."

"And their mother?" Logan asked, anxious to know more.

"Buried with her secrets somewhere around here, I'm sure." Xavier sighed. "Shannon Adams was someone who could not be reached either. She was a great teacher for the school and made many friends, but her own demons began to eat her alive. Chameleon did not seem to help matters and his attack on Danielle as a very young child forced her to make the hardest decision of her life. He was the love of her life and it was difficult to throw out a dangerous veteran or endanger your child more. It was a sacrifice that sometimes seemed to be in vain."

"She seemed to make the right decision," Logan remarked lightly, seeing the right choice immediately.

"Which, in the end, left Chameleon to his own devices and walking down worse roads," Xavier corrected, like the decision was a bad one. "But enough of the past, Logan. What brings you here?"

"Good spot to hide from everyone, I supposed."

"I also see it's a good view of everything above."

"Yeah, it's also a place of good memories. You seem to get those when you least expect it."

Logan did not want to add it was something he normally did not get, the more he aged and lived on this planet without being able to die, and some things he cherished. However, when he looked up to the parking lot of the church, he saw Ororo coming towards them. Xavier followed his gaze, smiling as he too watched her approach them cautiously. Her face seemed grim, but there was also some hope in there. It was good and bad news, Logan figured. He walked towards her with Xavier following closely behind.

"We can't go tonight," Ororo quickly announced as she met up with Xavier and Logan. "Rogue and Danielle found out the hard way that disabling the security cameras almost lost them their cover."

"But they're unharmed?" Logan immediately asked.

"Yes," Ororo replied, "but they think there's a way in through the basketball court."

"How?" Xavier asked gently, trying to be as patient as he possibly could without getting too excited.

"Danielle thinks she has a time we can go inside," Ororo revealed. "When she left around three this morning, she immediately noticed that parts of the property were unmonitored. Trask was so confident that they wouldn't be broken into that they turned off some of the cameras in some key areas."

"Like the basketball court?" Logan couldn't believe it.

"Yes, and there's also one problem with that." Ororo quickly wrinkled her face akin to thinking of something disgusting. "There are Sentinels guarding those areas. Danielle thinks she can manipulate them before someone notices something though. Dormant guards are better than none at all."

"Let's hope so," Logan replied tartly. "Because if we can't pull this off, I don't think they'll be merciful with us. We'll definitely be dead this time around."


	63. Destruction of Their Home

Xavier declared that they wait a couple of nights before moving out again. Periodically checking the mansion to ensure that the routine was the same, Xavier also decided that everyone hang low and not give attention to themselves or the church. They still had time to meet up with the others, but it was a slow an anxious two days. It was easy to separate and go opposite ways when things were tough (especially between Magneto and Roger or even with Logan it the mix) and the church offered a few quiet places to sit and relax. Nobody questioned them or turned them in because of their ghetto uniforms, but it would be noticed by someone soon enough. In religious houses, Xavier knew, everyone was equal and everyone deserved mercy from God until such a time when their sanctuary was no longer valid.

As soon as the appointed night approached though, Xavier saw nervousness in everyone. He knew that he and Magneto would have to stand back and allow the five to do their work if it was needed, but to see his own team think that they were unworthy of succeeding ate at him. It had been years since they had been able to feel and work with hope. Tonight would be a taste of that feeling he had taught about for so long. He could not afford to see them fail.

When the sun went down around seven in the evening, the group left the church quietly, walking through the forests of the mansion property and settling some yards away from where it cleared onto the main road, near the front gate. They then walked around towards the back where the basketball court was, seeing the Sentinels tread the pathway many mutant children before them walked. The graves of Scott Summers and Jean Grey had long been destroyed and the memorial to Xavier when he was thought to be dead was gone. Before them were well-worn paths made by robots that now made the former children's play area their sleeping place.

Before they could be seen and get into another fight, Danielle closed her eyes and concentrated around the vast area, feeling some of Jay in her mind as they worked together to get from one Sentinel to the next. After about twenty minutes, she knew that all of them had been disabled and would not be able to work again. No cameras were in sight, as she had reported when returning some time ago, and the area was cleared. They were free to go forward.

Opening her eyes, Danielle motioned that they move. On the signal, Xavier took the lead and they went to the court, where the memories of so many children played in everyone's minds. From behind what remained of the pole, Xavier ran over a spot a few times with his wheelchair, backing away as it revealed a passageway long forgotten. The stairwell with a wheelchair friendly ramp that showed itself seemed dusty and appearing as if it had not been used in many years, even before Ororo had been born, she suspected.

"This way, _quickly_," Xavier instructed. He took the ramp, with Magneto directing slowly behind him, as the others took the stairs. Above their heads, the entranceway closed.

At the bottom of the stairs, the lights above their heads lit up, as if welcoming them back warmly after a lengthy absence. Xavier nodded, turning right and then right again on the grimy floors, passing by the school's clothing supplies. While most had been covered in the school's logo, some had not. Grabbing five solid-colored backpacks, Ororo directed the packing of three of the bags and gathered as much clothing without the logo as they could fit in, camper rolling everything under Logan's instructions. Ororo, Rogue and Danielle then each took a pack as Logan took the two empty ones. They soon were on their way with Magneto, Xavier and Roger again, this time to the next hallway, near the Danger Room. Xavier pressed a button the wall next to the training room and it opened a doorway, a closet full of weapons and protective gear. Roger and Logan filled as much as they could in the remaining backpacks and put them on. Again nodding, Xavier led them some way down the main walkway, except he went down someplace even Ororo did not know existed.

This made Ororo nervous. She had been down here for so many years and known every nook and cranny except for where Xavier was taking them. The way had been lit like all the others and looked just as normal, but the task at hand was just as dangerous and gave her an idea of how the scenario was going to work. When becoming part of the X-Men team, every member was promoted in creating a code for entry and exit when there was an emergency, as she recalled. She had never been able to use it, even when Stryker infiltrated the mansion (she had been with Jean in Boston then, if she remembered correctly), but she sensed that this night would be the one and only time she had to. The code would be used in the destruction of the only true home she, as well as many others before and after her, had known.

Her feelings seemed to have merit, it seemed. At the end of this particular hallway, Xavier stopped before what appeared to be a doorway. He pressed another button, which shot a keypad and eye scanner out.

"Welcome, Professor," the familiar female voice said. "What are we doing today?"

Xavier did not waver in his answer. "Self-destruct."

"Self-destruct?" the voice asked, sounding unsure, even to Ororo's ears.

"Yes," Xavier confirmed, allowing the eye scanner to spread a red light from the top to the bottom of his right eye. "Code number nineteen thirty-two, Mike Oscar India Romeo Alpha."

Xavier soon moved aside, allowing Magneto in. The eye scanner did the same for Magneto, accepting him as one of their own. This amazed the rest of the group behind him, who did not think the former terrorist to be coded into the computer, even though he had been part of the first class of mutants that were trained here. The scan done, Magneto typed in something additional before talking.

"Max Eisenhardt, alias Erik Lehnsherr, code number nineteen thirty-one, Alpha November Yankee Alpha," Magneto stated plainly. He then moved aside for the next person.

Ororo went up next without being prompted to. Knowing that she did not need to type in anything, she allowed the eye scanner to run before adding in hers. "Ororo Munroe, code number nineteen seventy, November Delta Alpha Romeo Echo."

Roger had to motion a shocked Ororo to move aside so he could get scanned and put his code in. "Roger James Mortimer, code number nineteen forty-nine, Poppa India X-Ray India Echo Mike Alpha Echo."

Danielle immediately went after Roger, following the same routine. "Danielle Regina Mitchell, code number nineteen seventy-nine, Poppa Hotel Alpha November Tango Oscar Mike."

It was then that everyone looked to Logan and Rogue. With a sinking heart, Xavier soon realized that the both of them had not been coded into the system. However, he knew of another presence that could help them. He looked over behind the group, watching a shimmer of invisible light make itself known. Magneto saw the same thing and smiled, thinking the same thing Xavier was. The others seemed to stand in ignorance except for one other person. Danielle knew who was behind them and had not realized the extra presence until then, but somehow was relieved that he was there. In other ways, she was angrier than a wet cat and wanted to kill something before the red in her eyes blinded her.

"Chameleon," Magneto greeted cordially. "Care to put yours in?"

Within seconds, one of the masters of invisibility showed up. Chameleon smiled, looking at all of them with amusement. He said nothing, feeling an explanation was necessary perhaps or maybe thinking that it was amusing to see such a tragedy unfolding. It was all a game, Danielle saw, and she was no mood for it, even though her father was feeling in every way saddened by the events.

"You've been following us this whole time," she accused Chameleon, her old anger bubbling up to the surface.

"Why not?" Chameleon shrugged his shoulders. "I was curious why an exodus of mutants left through a tunnel system I was partially responsible in finding. When the Human Majority failed to find me, I had to either follow my grandchildren and their friends or find out the reason why another was going back to Salem Center. Protection didn't seem needed for the grandchildren, so my curiosity got to me."

"But your codes are needed," Logan plainly stated.

"It seems that way." Chameleon looked at Logan a little askew, his eyes misting over a little. "However, I am in need of some assistance here."

_No, you don't!_ Danielle rudely screamed in Chameleon's mind. _You don't need help from us. You just want a reason why we're here and to mock us._

_You're right. I know why you're here though, Danielle._ Chameleon smiled smugly. _I just want you to ask politely. I need to hear it from you so you can hear from me my reasons._

_Some days, I don't think you need anything. _Danielle sighed.

Xavier knew the problem immediately. "To hopefully end some of the center of our troubles, we would appreciate a lending hand, Chameleon," he explained, eager to quell some of the animosity between some of the parties involved.

"If Shannon had been here, I would have done anything she asked and more, including this," Chameleon replied, his voice oddly full of regret. "It's been a difficult thing to see it all coming down to this, Charles. My wife had been my calm before the storm, to make me see the right in this school. If she was here, I'm sure she'd say to save this school at all costs. Now, after years of its shutdown, I see that there is no anodyne haven anymore. It's turned into something we all cannot abide by. I needed an inquiry, not to be accused of something. I've done some shifty things in the past and will gladly take responsibility of them all, including tearing down a place where mutants used to feel free to be themselves. Let me in."

Chameleon soon went over to the keypad as a path was cleared for him, typing in a few quick strokes, and allowed the same process to happen for him. "Henry Jones Mitchell, code number nineteen forty-seven, Sierra Hotel Alpha November November Oscar November."

Xavier moved in again, pushing Chameleon back. They all watched in fascination as the keypad and scanner disappeared into the wall and the voice started talking again.

"Are you sure procedure for self-destruct needs to continue?" the voice asked.

"Yes," Xavier replied confidently. "Five minutes until self-destruct, starting now."

Within seconds, another window appeared. This time, it was showing the countdown, from five minutes downward. At that signal, the eight of them immediately retreated, following the route to where the X-Jet still laid at rest, the sleek black body waiting for their return. Within seconds, Ororo checked it over as the other entered and seated themselves, amazed at how pristine the jet was in the years since its last use. She refueled it just as quickly, entering it with the others. She then headed to the controls, motioning Danielle to co-pilot with her. Danielle took the seat next to Ororo, soon seeing them in motion. The doors above their heads pulled apart. The jet rose up and was soon heading above the basketball court and in the skies before anything could catch it.

Danielle and Ororo did not know which direction to head to, even though their final one was clear. Indeed, they could not know where to find their remaining friends and family. Danielle turned to Xavier, who perhaps had the best idea, since she did not feel strong enough to multitask and use her powers. Her eyes were too busy minding the night sky that was soon heading towards dawn.

_They're at the park in Salem Center._ Xavier seemed buoyant about it. _Turn the jet invisible and head there. They're all safe, I promise you._

"Seems like we have a short ride ahead of us," Danielle told Ororo quietly. "Salem Center Park, past downtown. Turn the jet invisible."

"Right." Ororo kept her eyes on the skies too, feeling energized by the whole experience as she turned their ride from a shadow on the ground to an illusion in the sky. "And where to afterward, you think?"

"Well, the Professor talked of the Pacific islands," Danielle replied, feeling a little longing for something different. "You think we can swing over there and think things over?"

Ororo looked over her shoulder for a brief moment. Behind them, she felt the vibration from the explosion (luckily, they were too far away to feel it fully) and felt a little regret and sadness with it. She knew that they had a choice, but it was a small one. If the school continued to function as a center of Trask, they might never be free. They would be hunted down again and again. This action would have an equal and opposite reaction, but it might take some time before it happened once more. Until then, they could rest and regroup. It was perhaps the best route to take.

"I think we can," Ororo agreed, seeing the value in the plan. "Being far away from this continent seems like the best idea we've had in quite some time now."

Danielle had to smile, although she too felt the same as Ororo did on the inside. "It'll be a vacation. We won't even need to come back either."

* * *

**A lot of the codes in phonetics were important things in each character's life. While I am sure people can figure out some of them (like the OC ones), some of them aren't so clear. Xavier's was pretty easy (Moira). Magneto's was the name of his daughter in the comics, Anya (and yes, his real name was Max Eisenhardt). Storm's was her mother's name, a priestess named N'Dare, who died in a plane accident along with her father. It just seemed a little fun to research some of the characters' backgrounds and get a good idea of what was important to them, even though most of it is never revealed in the movies.**


	64. In the Background

_**May 2**_

_It's been a couple of weeks since I've last written, but it's been an eventful one too. To put it simply and not get into the graphic details, we have escaped the ghetto after an attack from the Human Majority on the whole neighborhood and a final sweeping from the Sentinels. Along the way, we lost some people and gained a little more. Hank had been the first to go, beaten to death and left on the front yard with no grave. Teller had been next, pushing Roger from a falling building and getting crushed instead. Finally, there was Jubilee, who nobody knew was alive, saving Rogue and Storm when the last Sentinel chased them._

_We did split up though, the children exiting through tunnels found by Sunspot and Chameleon and picking up a few people on the way. We (myself, Logan, Storm, Magneto, the Professor, Rogue and Roger) had one more thing we needed to do though because the Professor needed it of us. We set the mansion, the former school for mutants, to self-destruct, leaving Trask in the dirt for maybe a few months, at the most. In the meantime, as we fly away from what we knew and see to the survivors now on this jet, we all are searching for a spot to land. Storm and Roger (the latter who took over for me) said that we were running low on fuel and need to land soon. We're above the Pacific Ocean now, so I am hoping we land somewhere far away, but be able to refuel again._

_It just seems like years since this all started. I know that the struggle for understanding for the mutants has turned into an evil and despicable war that has escalated into something we cannot even begin to imagine. The years of isolation showed that the world changed around us, with the wrong people in charge and countries falling one by one. You follow or be taken away. You say nothing or be dead. You lift a finger and face the consequences or stay quiet and live a life perhaps. Nothing is ever certain anymore. We entered the neighborhood guilty of every crime they accused us of and exited it as innocent as the day we started becoming part of a force nobody saw as good. Nowhere is safe anymore. Being the nomad is now our way of life._

_My children are safe and that is all that matters to me, even as other things eat at me, especially those who had passed. Although I am beginning to imagine that Janie, Teller's little girl, will recover from grief too, we need to realize that, more than ever, we need to stick together. This shall be our common cause. Our friends are dead. We need to honor their memory and move on. We cannot stop and wonder why anymore. Once this fight has started, we need to finish it, whether or not we live or not._

_Storm has mentioned that we're nearing an old airfield below. She, as well as Roger, cannot tell where we are, but Logan looks a little nervous, even though it promises fuel for the jet. We might be near where he was stationed another war ago maybe, but I cannot tell. I refuse to ask him, even now. Hell, even Matthew seemed to think something is wrong too._

_The weight of the plane is taking its toll. Although I'm sure the Professor shall ask all of us to choose where to go, I'm also sure that we're not going without a fight._

~00~

The jungle had taken back what belonged to it in the years since people had left. Logan hacked away at enough plants and trees to last him a lifetime (and perhaps more), cursing all the way as the others helped him clear away the life that survived. He managed to get through, along with Roger, Peter Rasputin and Warpath, and together they made a path from their landing spot to a clearing, where a village used to stand. It was deserted and still usable, although most of the buildings had been burnt in an earlier attack and one that was recent too.

Quickly, all of them settled into what seemed to be a normal life. Logan being volunteered to experiment all plant life for poison, food had been gathered by Ororo and Danielle and Roger and Bobby directed the rebuilding of most of the shelters. By nightfall, everyone had settled down and the children was soon sleeping. When everyone was in bed, few remained awake and were tending a small fire. Xavier, Danielle, Logan, Bobby, Michael, Rogue and Blink seemed content with each other, the silence filling in the events of the last few days and their feelings. It was overwhelming, Xavier had to concede, and horrible that they now had to come to a crossroads. They could not find back, since there was no chance to. They now had to learn how to survive.

Xavier started the long-awaited conversation. "I think it's time we truly split up."

Danielle looked up, her heart beating wildly. "What you do mean, Professor?"

"We cannot hope to find peace, even if some are fighting," Xavier replied. "I think our time to be in the front is over. We are known to be either dead or on the run. Right now, I am seeing that they think most of us dead. We shall be support, but never again can be show ourselves without suffering the same fate we have endured for all those years. We cannot be broken."

"You mean, be in the fight, but in the background?" Danielle was confused.

"I like it." Bobby nodded, throwing a stick into the fire. "There are many places in this world we can hide. And with Kitty's new powers, we don't have the chance to die. We can keep living, again and again."

"What do you mean?" Michael asked, curious.

"Kitty has had the ability to put someone's consciousness back in time for a while now," Bobby explained. "It's almost like a new slate. You can make a few future, again and again. You can change the fate of people and events."

"How far can she go back?" Blink asked, her ears paying more attention to the twins than to the conversation.

"A few days, maybe a few weeks." Bobby shrugged his shoulders. "But think of the possibilities. We get caught and aren't in a position to be restricted, some of us can stall the attackers and Kitty takes one back in time to warn the others."

"And change the future." Michael was quiet for a moment. "I like it too. It's a way for us to keep moving and keep the fight alive."

Danielle kept her face neutral, directing her thoughts to Logan. _Can you believe what Michael is saying?_

Logan too kept a straight face, taking out a cigar he found and lighting it by the fire. _Danielle, Michael is also almost seventeen years old now. He's a grown man and has earned his wings. Like Devon, he's not your baby anymore. If he wants to go and play, let him go._

Danielle's heart squeezed tightly, to the point where it hurt. Logan was right of course, but it was almost like death to have to know that you were starting to lose your children to the greater world and you could no longer protect them yourself. Michael was showing that he was his own shield now. He no longer needed Danielle that way anymore, pushing her aside as the mother.

"I like it too." Rogue had been quiet until that time, feeling Bobby's friendly eyes on her and an invitation to join him on his lips. "I also like that we need to split up the groups too. I think, since there is so many people, there should be three this time. I'll take on one and Bobby can lead the other. Professor, you have the last."

Xavier nodded. "I agree. At this point in time, we should keep going. While the X-Jet has suffered enough abuse, I think we can still use it to drop you all off. Bobby, you take Blink and her children, Warpath, Kitty and Colossus. Rogue, you can take Michael, Riley, Janie, Devon, Sunspot and Chameleon. The rest of us will stay behind."

Hearing Riley's name almost sent Danielle into shock, she was that upset. She could understand Devon and had always trusted that he could take care of himself, even though there were times she needed to know that he was alive and she could touch him. Michael, she had to accept was a man because he was too close to being one and needed to leave her shadow. _Riley?_ He was thirteen years old and looked up to Michael and still hooked himself to Danielle's leg, so close to death he had been since before birth. It was difficult to lose him too, since he had been the child who was not supposed to live. He had been shot before he was born, forcing him to be pulled out to live. He couldn't go.

_He can't leave me too. Riley can't leave!_

Logan put a hand on Danielle's shoulder as he smoked. "They'll be taken care of. I promise."

"I'm sure Chameleon will ensure their safety," Xavier added quietly too.

"With the children split up equally, it won't be so bad either," Blink said, her eyes back to the fire. "They're equally protected and won't be so much of a target."

"Less of a chance for everything," Logan remarked, although for what, Danielle could not tell. It could have been for anything, knowing Logan's way of thinking.

Michael went to sit next to Danielle. "Mom, I _promise_," he said, putting his hands on her face to ensure that her focus was on him. "I promise to keep Riley safe. We're brothers. We can't leave each other."

"And Celeste and Daken?" Danielle whispered, near to tears. "Are they your siblings too?"

"Of course they are," Michael replied confidently. "You need to let me go, Mom. I can't hold onto you forever. I need to fight my battles alone too. My father isn't alive anymore and hasn't been for almost ten years now. The world is a better place for it."

Danielle smiled. "For which I am grateful for everyday."

"We all are," Michael pointed out. "Please let me go. Your place is with Daken and Celeste. They need you more now than I or even Riley do."

"Go then." Danielle had to press her lips together tightly to keep them from quivering. "But when you get there, always remember where you came from."

Michael kissed Danielle's forehead and let her go. "You know we'll see each other again, Mom. Don't you worry about us."

Letting go of his mother, Michael left the group, heading to the hut where his brothers and sister slept peacefully, perhaps to rest for the day he would leave. Danielle watched him, her eyes threatening the tears again, but she blinked them away, grateful for the smoking fire that would have made the perfect excuse anyway. She smiled, trying hard to wrap her brain around this new scheme, and only looked at Xavier. Blink was conversing with Rogue and Bobby and they seemed too busy to see what Danielle was up to.

_You're planning something, Professor._ Danielle could not deny that Xavier was up to something and did not bother questioning it.

_Whatever do you mean, Danielle?_ Xavier looked up to the cloudy skies, frowning when he found no stars in sight.

_Well, you want to be in the background. Who do you have in mind to use as a sacrifice?_

Xavier considered the question for a minute. _I don't have a man to do our "dirty work". If I wanted someone to be up front for me and make sure that people were dead, I'd get Roger. No, the man I'm looking up to is Bishop._

_The man you met up with in Brazil?_

_The same. Erik put a lot of faith in him and I have the same feelings too. He is an honest man with a harsh past that will shape him for the worse future. He is hard and a born leader. He came from a future that this was the prelude to. I'm afraid he is right. We will come to a road that would never lead to peace._

_A time traveler…_right_…_

_Danielle, have a little faith. Your sarcasm doesn't seem to have faded one bit. If you met him, you'd understand._

The tone was sharp, but Danielle ignored that, instead focusing on a different source of power she had. She then stared up at the sky with Xavier, swatting away some random insects that buzzed in her ears. Logan took her into his arms from one side as he finished his cigar, throwing the end into the fire. He hugged her tightly, putting one hand through her hair. As he did, he noticed some blue and silver light flow through his fingers, almost like a light breeze. It tickled him, it felt so strange. He still did not quite understand what it meant either (could have been a power flare-up for Danielle, for all he knew), but Xavier did not seem so concerned and said nothing. Indeed, he was more interested in spotting a star or two as the clouds rolled to and fro.

Danielle broke free from Logan, looking at him in the eyes with some new powers. It was unlike anything Logan had seen before though. The black in her eyes weren't the usual threatening shade, but had a shine to the onyx. An energy pulsated from her that didn't seem to be hers and her features seemed to get a little younger. The link between them was still there, but it was stronger than it used to be. Logan didn't feel like he was connected to a mere being anymore. He was with something just as strong as he was and could finally stand by him instead of being protected from behind his back.

"You wanted someone to stand by you," Danielle only said, sensing the amazement alone. "If we're in this fight, we're in this together. We live and die together this time. Nothing is going to separate us ever again."

Logan didn't know what to say. He couldn't understand this one thing. As the others busied themselves in their own conversation, the world between the two seemed to shrink to a small bubble, just him and her. He looked at Danielle, trying to comprehend what she meant, but soon something dawned on him and it made him smile.

Now, Danielle could heal herself and could not die unless she wanted to. She actually looked her age, slowed everything down and was now his equal. Logan realized that it was all he really needed. Someone finally could survive next to him, perhaps for the rest of his own life.

* * *

**I'll honestly say there are six more chapters to go after this (as well as another story). Thank you to everyone for reading! I especially want to thank hotbibl for everything. Everyone, check out her stuff, if you can. :)**


	65. Turn! Turn! Turn!

_To everything (turn, turn, turn),  
There is a season (turn, turn, turn),  
And a time to every purpose under heaven_

_A time of love, a time of hate,  
A time of war, a time of peace,  
A time you may embrace,  
A time to refrain from embracing._

_To everything (turn, turn, turn),  
There is a season (turn, turn, turn),  
And a time to every purpose under heaven._

_A time to gain, a time to lose,  
A time to rend, a time to sew,  
A time for love, a time for hate,  
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late…_

As head of one group, Bobby directed Ororo and Roger to drop them off in Asia, choosing the almost desert country of Thailand as their beginning point. After he and his chosen teammates disembarked near a temple and bid everyone a fond farewell (even whispering a few words to Rogue), Rogue took over the directions at the front, heady with excitement with the opportunities given to her. Although it took some time to find fuel for the jet before they took off, she decided to make life a little easier for the flight and directed Ororo and Roger towards Japan. Although someplace where the government situation was slowly deteriorating, Rogue had heard enough from Logan over the years to know that it would be safe for her group…for now.

Matthew and Logan had to hold Danielle back as Daken and Celeste stood in front of them, knowing that she would run after Riley and Michael after they left with Rogue. She felt Mae, Roger and Gil behind her too, but she did not care. She kept back her emotions as best as she could as the two came up to her (as well as everyone else) to say goodbye. She knew that most of them would not know that she still had a connection to her children and can sense and feel what they are and can sometimes look in on them. She didn't use that often, but she now held onto that as a comfort. She might never see her eldest children again and only could see this as their last grand adventure without her.

Riley certainly saw it so. "We'll see each other soon," he promised, first hugging Danielle and then Logan before getting to his younger siblings. "I know we will."

Danielle nodded, again pursing her lips to stop them from trembling, and waited for the line of people leaving to move forward. Michael, behind Riley with a determined face, did the same, holding onto Logan a little longer and whispering something in his ear too before giving Celeste a hug and Daken a messier head of hair. He then bid Danielle one last farewell and darted away, allowing Devon and Rogue to say goodbye too. The actions were repeated, but Logan managed to grab a hold of Rogue before she departed.

"Hey, kid, what did he say to you?" Logan asked Rogue.

Rogue knew what Logan meant, appearing in every way confident and no longer the deer in the headlights anymore. "Well, Bobby said that he would always be there for me. He said that he may not love me anymore, but we would always be friends and that we were more than just allies in a war. We were nothing more than souls trapped inside a world against us."

"How sweet," Matthew said sarcastically, still seeing the drama coming.

"Matthew," Mae hissed in a warning tone. "It's been a long road for them. Can't you leave it be for once?"

"Don't worry about it." Rogue waved a gloved hand, truly confident for the first time in her life. "The past is in the past now. It's been almost ten years since it all started. It needs to end now or we will forever be locked together without a way to get around each other's problems. It's time to move on."

Logan smiled and nodded. "Good for you, kid."

"Let's go, Rogue. Come on." Devon pulled Rogue away in an emotionless tug, not noticing that her eyes were still on the people remaining behind.

By the time everyone had departed, a small group of mutants remained. Other than Magneto and Xavier, there was Logan and Danielle with the remaining two children, Matthew and Ororo and Roger and Mae with Gil. Unmoving in the jet as the others disappeared, they all stared at each other in wonder and sometimes sadness. Ororo then motioned to Matthew to help her take on the controls of the jet. As everyone slowly eased into their seats and the children played on the floor silently, the jet turned invisible and soon was flying away, out into the known.

Ororo did not know which direction to go to. She looked back at Xavier briefly, quietly asking for some instructions. Xavier smiled and pointed to the east, towards the Pacific islands once more. There were many more they could temporarily settle on, Ororo figured, but it won't ever be for long. She knew that they would always be found and they would always be running. However, as she turned to Matthew on her left, she knew that there was someone she could rely on. Although she and Matthew had hardly taken their relationship onto any level, she was sure that he would stand by her and be the other half she never had, a friend and a protector when she needed it.

They would never be alone, all of them. With such a large group, Ororo knew that they would always have each other's backs. They would survive and move on, no matter what.

~00~

_**May 10**_

_They're gone. Michael and Riley have left me, the birds that flew from the nest far too soon, and packed their bags and went with Rogue to Japan. Although we are some miles from them on the Fuji Islands in the Pacific, I can still feel them, like they were right next to me, but they are traveling north through the Japanese terrain with only Logan's instructions of the past on their minds. The connection is still there and they are both alive. For how long, I can't tell, but I know they would thrive without me and always be the mischievous children who I raised._

_It's easier on Logan. He, Michael and Riley grew on each other and started relationships later rather than at birth, like he did with Daken and Celeste. He's always been a loner, pushing people away when he needed to and not giving a damn, seeing that they were as young as he was when he ran away (technically, Logan was ten though). I mean, they're his children too and he cares about them, but Logan also knew that it was time for them to get away from me. Without that power, they would never learn on their own and forever be dependent on me._

_That's what I want for them too. However, it doesn't mean that it hurts so badly that I am nearly in tears. I've protected those two for so long I cannot think of a time I didn't. God, even Michael promised me that he could care for Riley and the two learned well from Logan. Devon watches over them both because he knows they can't be on their own initially. It's a nice arrangement and I appreciate the sentiments. But who will watch all of them together when there's danger? Who would have their backs then?_

_I can't keep worrying about it. To keep my mind off of it, I've been walking on the beaches every morning before dawn. Usually, Daken and Celeste are up after I come back, clamoring for some food, and never miss a thing. Logan? He joins me when he can't sleep (which is most nights) and never talks to me when he joins me. This morning he did come with me and he talked to me, catching up to me as I slipped out of our makeshift bed and went out the door. The wind was strong and I knew a storm was brewing to the south, but I did not care. I wanted to cry and I wanted to do that alone._

_Logan stayed on my right, taking my hand as we walked to the shore and started the loop around the small island. I didn't want to say anything, since I knew he was trying to be kind when he knew I was upset, and averted my eyes away so that he did not see my tears, even after all this time. He knew though, taking his other hand to swivel my head back towards him. I smiled and we walked on. My heart kept racing, faster and faster. I hoped to avoid conversation, as we had before, but luck was never on my side._

"_They won't die, you know." Logan seemed confident about his words. "They have the ability to live and die, just like you do."_

"_You can't tell me that and not know for sure," I replied, knowing what he was talking about._

"_They're well protected. You can't keep them forever."_

"_I know. It doesn't mean I can't get upset about it. I raised them, Logan, mostly on my own."_

"_And they need to realize that they can take what you taught them and use it for their own lives."_

"_Jesus Christ, Logan, are you hearing yourself? They're young and just began to live again. It's a dangerous world out there."_

"_They need to learn it for themselves. Let it go, Danielle. You need to, for your own sanity. Focus on the other two children."_

"_When they don't want anything to do with me?"_

_Logan snickered and rolled his eyes. It was true though and he knew it. Daken was such a loner like Logan and would protect those he loved in many ways, but did not want anyone to bother him. He never liked me touching him after he turned three (he even didn't like Logan touching him), pushing me away at every opportunity and observing more than talking, much as Logan did years before. Celeste…well, she's Daddy's little girl. I am always the bad guy and Logan could do no wrong in her eyes, even though Logan hardly knows what to do with her. It reminded me of Chameleon and myself before he left us, when I used to be the little princess in the tower and he was the knight to rescue me._

_I'll admit, I wasn't close to my mother when I was younger. I blamed her for Chameleon leaving and for putting me through hell when things went tougher afterward. I knew she couldn't be there the way I wanted her to be and always allowed herself to be absent, spending more and more days in bed. But she didn't know what to do with me, I suppose, and allowed my life to go in a direction I didn't know was wrong. Even after I found her dead, hanging from the ceiling two months after my wedding to Leon Ellis, the song she had playing was something I couldn't stand for years. I didn't even visit her grave and didn't tell too many people where she was buried, even Logan. Jay and Fiona (although she had been there for a short period of time) had been the strength of my young adult years and I always had less animosity for them than for her._

_Today, I wished that it was changed and that we had a relationship. In lieu of that, I knew that I need to do something with Celeste, before she turned into something similar to me. I don't think the world needs another angry woman._

"_I saw how relieved you were that Celeste was a girl," Logan began, unsure of how else to say. "But there is something about the way you treat her that makes her come to me. I don't doubt that you love her and you treat her equally compared to the boys, but there's something underneath all of that. She rejected you the same way you did to your mother and you don't know how that happened."_

_I stopped, Logan with me. "How did you know?" I asked, incredulous._

_Logan shrugged his shoulders, prompting me to walk on. "Oh, this and that."_

"_You talked to people again, didn't you?"_

"_Nobody is going to say anything unless I said you did."_

"_You lied to them to get information then."_

"_No, I didn't. Quit accusin' me. It's just, the way people talk about you made me think. That's all."_

"_You know, you need to stop doing that."_

"_Well, there's always a time for everything, Danielle. There's always a new season, a new spring. Since I've met all of you, thinking has been my new norm."_

_By then, we had reached the shore and we stopped where the waves crashed into the sands. We allowed our bare feet to be washed by the salt water for some time. Just as the sun came up and the clouds covered it back up, the walk forgotten, I realized what time it was. I went to turn back for the children, but Logan held onto me tighter. He then picked me up and twirled me around, planting a kiss on my lips. I returned it, feeling more relaxed than I had been in the last three days. He then put me down, still holding onto me as the waves lapped around our feet._

"_Think we should go back?" I asked, unsure if we should be alone or if we should be with the children._

"_No." Logan kissed me again. "Let your cousin deal with them this morning."_

"_What?" I was surprised. "Matthew is going to kill me."_

"_Not unless Storm is there," Logan pointed out. "She won't mind."_

"_You're right." I kissed Logan again. "Let's stay here a bit. I want to watch the storm come in."_

_Luckily, Logan agree. Knowing that I had so much trust in him, he picked me up again and we collapsed together in the sands when he decided to fall back, this time the water splashing us from the chest up. I didn't mind the salty taste in my mouth. Just as long as we had a few moments to ourselves, life seemed more perfect than what it used to be. We were free, even if it's been almost a month, and we were free to be ourselves once more._

_Turn, turn, turn._

* * *

**Above lyrics are written by the late Pete Seeger and sung by the Byrds, called "Turn! Turn! Turn!"**


	66. Return of the Grim Reaper

It had been a month since they arrived at Fuji and it had been too idyll for them to stay and live for any longer than they needed to. Xavier knew that it would soon be time for them to depart. It had been too quiet lately, with so few people around the abandoned villages, and the growing worldwide situation was steadily becoming worse. For them to be safe, they needed to keep traveling. They could not afford the luxury of staying in one place for so long a time before seeing their ends somewhere. Roger had been right. Somehow, they would find out that all of them had lived through the massacre at the ghetto and would come and find them. It was only a matter of time now.

By late June, Xavier decided that it was time to go. He had yet to discuss where in the world they would be in next (perhaps Australia or New Zealand, if they could swing it) and was more worried about gathering supplies than leaving. The morning before, he had already told everyone on his decision to depart, but not where yet. This morning, he was watching them enact their finale on this island, knowing that their vanishing act would have to be convincing. While Ororo and Matthew had been minding the jet, Logan was playing with the children, Roger had been on security detail and Mae, Danielle and Gil were out seeking more food. Only Magneto kept Xavier company quietly enough, sitting beside him under a palm tree.

Oddly enough, Magneto had been discreet in his words lately. For the past month, he had not uttered a word about their escape and the subsequent espionage on the mansion. Indeed, Xavier did not quite see the peace in Magneto's eyes, but he was sensing that his old friend was riding out the calm before the storm with a rage that he had not seen in him before. This was no ending, Xavier knew. It was only a prelude of more to come in this new war. Everything that happened before, from the first stone thrown to the last ripple in the water, brought them to this, running for their lives.

It was as if Magneto was reading Xavier's thoughts instead of the other way around. "What do you think, Charles?" he asked, motioning his hand to the scene before them. "What do you think will happen?"

"Nobody would predict the future, least of all me." Xavier chuckled. "I cannot predict what will happen next. Even I could not see this twenty years before."

"You could not have doubted the power Leon Ellis held. He held the whip. The people only had to obey his whims."

"No, I had no doubts about his power. But to see it all come down to this, Erik…I could not imagine this life for us or them. I could not imagine it would deteriorate this badly."

"Nobody could, Charles. Even I could not see this coming."

Xavier was amazed. "You always said that we would end up in a camp."

"And we were close, weren't we?" Magneto grinned wickedly. "I knew they were copying Nazi Germany's favorite games. I regret to say that they surpassed them, but that's quite a different discussion for another day. Look around you though, Charles. What are you seeing, other than a life we cannot have imagined before?"

"I have heard the world changed while we were incarcerated."

"It did. It really did, Charles. People we thought were pranksters are now in charge. The world is crumbling under their rule and the people cannot even revolt and cry out in dismay. Trask has been under their thumb instead of them being in the front, their robots used for personal gain. The teacher is now subdued."

"Sentinels." The word hung heavy over them.

"Don't say that Bolivar Trask's inventions did not surprise you. We've seen them enough in the years we've been inside the wire."

"No, I didn't see how far they advanced. I thought it would pass and it would fade away, like a craze. Now, I am seeing how well they adapt to their environments and are used for more than just being like Chameleon. Not even ten years ago, they were still tall, gawky robots with cages. Today, they are machines that can surpass even a human."

Magneto laughed. "How typical of you, Charles. You are too behind on the times."

Xavier decided to leave it there, choosing not to argue. He smiled, looking around again to check the scene. Ororo and Matthew had finished their maintenance with the jet and had Logan and the children join them inside. Roger was still on the lookout, but seemed very tense, eying the other side of the island with care. Danielle was just coming over a hill, her arms full of food. Mae and Gil were nowhere in sight. That alone made Xavier as nervous as Roger.

Roger continued to peer over to where he was suspicious of. Seconds later, he was turning around and running to the jet, motioning for Magneto and Xavier to join him. The others were in there, all set to go, but the urgency seemed to make their departure more crucial.

"What is it?" Magneto yelled out, walking as fast as he could with Xavier wheeling himself behind him. "Tell me!"

Roger did not stop nor did he bother facing Magneto. He entered the back of the jet, Magneto and Xavier soon behind him, and soon was starting it without help, preparing for it to outrun what was behind them. The one word he yelled alone though made the others understand why he was frantic.

"Sentinels!"

~00~

_All our times have come.  
Here, but now they're gone.  
Seasons don't fear the reaper,  
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain.  
We can be like they are…_

_Come on, baby,  
Don't fear the reaper.  
Baby, take my hand,  
Don't fear the reaper.  
We'll be able to fly,  
Don't fear the reaper.  
Baby, I'm your man…_

It had been a pleasant morning, even though the sun was stronger than most recent days. Danielle was hoping to gather some food for the road before their next destination. Mae and (strangely enough) Gil had volunteered to come with her, the pair staying as close as they could together without talking to Danielle. Sighing, Danielle accepted the arrangement since Gil insisted on it, managing to grab any food people mentioned that they liked, returning towards their campsite just as the sun was reaching the initial afternoon peak. She had been watching Roger as she walked over the crest of a sand dune, but had not expected him to start running as soon as she came closer.

_What the hell was that about?_ Danielle was puzzled, raising her awareness around the area and soon seeing why.

"Shit!" she screamed, rapidly whipping her body around with a shield just as a Sentinel starting shooting a fiery blast at her.

Danielle extended the shield around her and the jet just as another Sentinel arrived, which took a lot of her verve. It was enough energy to hold up a body that was expecting to live for years to come, but it was a different story to keep that up and also protect a large area. She moved backwards, hoping to make the perimeter smaller, and managed to get to the series of trees near the jet, her back against the uneven trunk of a palm tree. She felt herself weakening, desperate for the Sentinels not to see her decline. She just needed some more time.

Soon, Danielle soon felt another force next to her, with red and black color mingling with her blue and silver shield. She looked over to her right, seeing Celeste doing the same thing that she was, except the girl was using energy she pulled from the sun in order to make it work and strengthen their shield. Danielle was amazed and shocked at the same time. Celeste was nearly five and did not display any show of mutant powers until that moment unlike Daken, when she knew that they were in danger. That must have been they manifested.

"Celeste, leave!" Danielle yelled at her, anxious to keep her safe. "It's too dangerous here."

"You need help, Momma," Celeste insisted, moving backwards as Danielle moved around the tree and they got closer to the jet. "I can't sit there and watch you. Daddy wouldn't forgive you."

_Watch me die, you mean._ Danielle was sure Celeste knew what death was at this point. She had seen it firsthand and would never forget it, something Danielle would forever regret showing her children.

Danielle knew that she wasn't going to win the argument and didn't have time to think about it. She and her daughter just continued to back away and use their powers together, but they soon reached the doors of the jet, they started minimizing the usage. By then, the Sentinels were losing interest and backing away, but they found others in sight that were easier targets. With a lump in her throat, Danielle realized that Mae and Gil were still out there…and they had been found.

_Valentine is done.  
Here, but now they're gone.  
Romeo and Juliet  
Are together in eternity.  
Romeo and Juliet…_

_Forty thousand men  
And women everyday,  
Like Romeo and Juliet…  
Forty thousand men  
And women everyday,  
Redefine happiness…  
Another forty thousand  
Coming every day,  
We can be like they are…_

_Come on, baby,  
Don't fear the reaper.  
Baby, take my hand,  
Don't fear the reaper.  
We'll be able to fly,  
Don't fear the reaper.  
Baby, I'm your man…_

The two Sentinels stopped attacking and walked away when they could not penetrate the dual shields. They saw Mae and Gil coming over the hill, each having arms full of food and not initially understanding what had happened. The two of them dropped everything, never getting the chance to run. Before everyone's eyes, the two Sentinels opened their faces and shot, each of them getting the two mutants, their faces full of surprise as they disintegrated. Their remaining ashes blew away as the island breeze gently rolled across the way.

"No!"

Danielle did not realize that Roger had been behind her and Celeste this whole time. The word came out of his mouth almost like a shot to her ear, it was that quick and painful. She saw that Roger's face was in utter astonishment and rage, but what was worse was his swift reaction. Realizing that the shields were still put in place, Roger rammed forward before anyone could hold him back, Logan and Matthew missing him by mere seconds and inches. He knocked both Danielle and Celeste over with each shoulder and ran forward towards the Sentinels, the fire set in his eyes and hands. Blue and green flames danced in his hands and soon hit the Sentinels in the back, catching their attention.

"Hey, assholes!" Roger yelled, taunting them with his fire. "Come and get me now!"

"Close the doors!" Matthew screamed, helping Logan pull Celeste and Danielle back into the jet. "Storm, get the jet ready. We need to ride now!"

"No!" Danielle tried scrambling to her feet, to run after Roger, but Logan held onto her tightly. "No, no, no! We need to help him!"

Matthew had grabbed Celeste by then and had placed her next to Daken nearby. His face showed nothing more than determination and was strictly business. With a sinking heart, Danielle saw what they all saw this as. In grief and perhaps without thinking, Roger wanted his revenge and ran out so that they could leave. Roger, in seeing Mae and Gil killed, had decided to slow them down and die too. All in one rash action, they were free to run away this time and live.

The doors were closing. Still in Logan's arms, Danielle watched the last of the action before they were cut off from the view for good. Roger had been dancing back and forth in his usual manner, his green and blue flames cutting the Sentinels off from reaching him, and had blinded them to his next moves. However, their scent for mutants had not been vanquished. They shot at Roger too, missing each time the sixty-six year old moved away. However, he was slowing down too. Danielle knew it to be his downfall. He had been older and weaker as the years past, especially in the ghetto. This was going to be his death.

_Love of two is one.  
Here, but now they're gone.  
Came the last night of sadness,  
And it was clear  
She couldn't go on.  
Then the door was open  
And the wind appeared.  
The candles blew  
And then disappeared.  
The curtains flew and  
Then he appeared,  
Saying, "Don't be afraid…"_

_Come on, baby…  
And she had no fear.  
And she ran to him,  
Then they started to fly.  
They looked backward  
And said goodbye.  
She had become like they are.  
She had taken his hand.  
She had become like they are.  
Come on, baby,  
Don't fear the reaper…_

Breaking away from Logan, Danielle went to the front of the jet, hoping to glimpse Roger one last time as they flew away. They were too high up already that she only saw yellow, green and blue flickers and a few dots. She knew who was what and what was happening before anyone could, closing her eyes and being there without being seen, her consciousness seeing everything. Roger was still running as dodging as best as he could, but it was no use. Old age had pushed him to the edge of his circle of fire, a momentary rest next to a palm tree. His heart was pumping faster, his chest about to explode. He had an idea that the end was near, but not this close and not when he was about to inactivate them for good. Death was not for Xavier's master spy anyway he thought, a luxury for those who received the mercy.

Throwing the last of his flames, Roger incapacitated one Sentinel permanently, the dead throes already shuddering as the robot made its way down to the sands. The other was not yet there, although disabled enough to fall at any moment. Its last effort while Roger was resting killed him the same way his family had gone, collapsing as its victim turned to ashes. It was quick, painless and caught Roger by surprise at the last moment. His bodily remains went the same way as Mae and Gil's. The wind had been merciful at least.

Danielle's consciousness returned back to her body. She turned around, seeing that everyone minus Ororo and Matthew was staring at her, even the children. The blow to them was too obvious, something they should have known when Roger decided to spend the remaining minutes of his life against the enemy, and it had been too brutal. It was not fair, Danielle had to concede. It was never fair!

_No, no, no! It can't be! God, no! God help us, no!_

"He's gone," Danielle only said, shaking. Before long, she was sinking to her knees and sobbing, her knuckles in her eyes and her own personal shield hiding her shame.

* * *

**Above lyrics are from Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper".**


	67. We're All Victims

They had to get as far away from the Fuji Islands as they possibly go without getting too low on fuel and crashing. Matthew and Ororo managed to go straight north to Alaska, landing on the now-deserted island of Atka without stopping or seeing anyone to greet them. However, by then, they were so low on fuel that it might be some time before they find some and fly away again. What they would do if they were caught by the Sentinels would be another story.

In retrospect, that did not matter. The silence on the trip up had been enough for all of them to think about the recent events. Three had quickly vanished from their group in the hands of the Grim Reaper, making all wonder who was next. If the Mortimers, who had been part of the struggle for years, could be killed off, who was next? The concept of mortality was infectious it seemed, something that reminded everyone onboard that they could be the next victim of the Reaper, walking hand in hand to the final light.

Danielle had calmed down enough to spend the remaining time with her children, regaining control of her powers after her meltdown. By then, they had been sleeping off of their grief, making Danielle wish that the same happened with her too, her insomnia kicking in with her thoughts. As she stroked Celeste's star and Daken's dark hair, she wondered about Devon, Michael and Riley and how they were doing. She did not want to pry just yet, knowing that she could be stuck watching them if she did, but at least she knew them not to be dead. She then wondered what life would be without those they just lost. She had no life without Roger, Mae and Gil and always knew them to be somewhere in the world during her lifetime. Now, her heart was empty, void of all feelings.

The light in there seemed to have vanished. They were all alone, broken into pieces.

"I'm checking to see where the nearest town might be," Ororo announced as they landed, the first words spoken since Roger's death. "Someone might have left some supplies that we can use."

"I think we shall come with you," Magneto added, motioning to Xavier to join them.

"Logan? Matthew?" Ororo looked at the two severely, wanting them to help out, in order to take their minds off of the Mortimers.

"I'll stay here," Matthew volunteered. "Someone needs to stay here with Danielle. I don't think she's moving."

Logan kissed Danielle on the forehead. "I'll be back."

"I know." Danielle smiled back weakly, hugging Daken and Celeste's sleeping forms closer to her. She then watched the four of them leave, some snow swirling inside before the doors closed securely.

Matthew soon next to Danielle, on the right. He stroked Daken's hair, his warm body situated between them, and tried to study his cousin for a few minutes before trying to speak. Her stance seemed older than her appearance, he decided, and her grief was such that she protected herself and her thoughts better. Danielle was definitely changed from the incident on Fuji. Although he had known the Mortimers for lesser of a time than she had, he knew them to be caring people, the ones who took care of her whether she saw it or not. Even he knew that Mae loved Danielle like another child. Protection went only so far though.

Reaching over, Matthew put a reassuring hand on Danielle's shoulder. "I'm sorry, cousin."

Danielle shook her head, trying to keep the tears back. Matthew had seen her break down just as they left Fuji earlier in the day. He didn't think he needed to witness that again, even the walls of silver and blue that kept everyone out, especially Logan. It was disturbing and something he could never forget so easily.

"What's there to say?" Danielle asked quietly, unsure of how else to response to Matthew's sentiments. "They're dead. We weren't careful enough."

"It was a careless accident when it came down to Mae and Gil," Matthew conceded, "but Roger was reckless. We could not stop him. Once he sees something happening to his family, he'll have his revenge. I don't think death was on his mind that day. It came anyway though."

"No, it wasn't on Roger's mind." Danielle did not really want to share with Matthew any other thoughts Roger had in the end.

"He lost control of his mind and that was his fault," Matthew tried explaining, almost trying to make it sound rational. "He pushed you and Celeste aside and made sure we escaped. Even if you don't see it that way, I do. We're alive partially because of Roger."

"I…I don't know," Danielle replied, her voice so shaky that Matthew thought that he would feel her emotions dripping from the walls again. "We could have held him back. We could have escaped."

"Think about it, Danielle," Matthew urged. "We_ wouldn't_ have. We may have been invisible, but the Sentinels would have found us. They've advanced much more than we thought. They are more than robots now. They have the mind of one and have superhuman abilities. They're blending into their environment and starting to adapt to mutant abilities. They can use it against us, to kill us."

Danielle thought about it for a moment. "Mae and Gil though…"

"They didn't have to die, but it was an _accident_." Matthew rubbed his forehead in frustration. "It was a tragic accident that was not your fault. They volunteered to help you and went their own way. It wasn't your fault that Gil still hung onto his mother's apron strings and didn't stay near you."

"That wasn't Gil's fault," Danielle argued, feeling anger at the statement. "He had been harassed so badly as a child because of his mutation that he didn't like being away from his family."

"_You're_ his family, Danielle, and you still did not talk to him as often as his parents did," Matthew pointed out. "It's harsh and mean, but it's true. He hung onto Mae and it cost him his life. They decided to stay away from you and go another way. We were supposed to stick together, to support one another. Instead, we are down three people. War changes everything, Daniele, and you above all should know this. We lost so many people by now my head is spinning."

"Mine too." Danielle did not want to say any more than she needed to.

"You thought everyone was invincible. You thought that we went through the worst and it could be better once we've escaped. Well, it's all wrong. _We're_ all wrong. It's going downhill and the snowball will turn into an avalanche. It's halfway there already and we're all guilty of getting it there and being in the way."

"What do you mean? You weren't even kicking around when this all started, Matthew. I haven't even seen you around local circles since we were kids."

"No, I wasn't around. They wouldn't let me, although I was all for it. They bounced me from foster home to foster home until I was eighteen and even then, I was always watched. Being with you and Jay was not an option and they thought mutants together would cause more trouble. I had been happy though, happier than I ever was in my life, and being at the school was a balm to the soul. Being pulled from that school was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I was almost eighteen and on the road to graduation, admiring everything about my family and living the happiest times of my life. It was all dashed."

Matthew took a breath. "Danielle, I couldn't reach out, even if I could. After everyone died, after the funeral, it was hurtful and dangerous. I couldn't fight, even if I wanted to. It was better for me to live a life where nobody knew me or could reach out to me. A year of foster homes made me realize how unloved I was and I could not return to endanger anyone. I left, became a coward and lost myself. Being picked up by Peter Ellis and seeing you made me realize many things. We're all casualties of this war, whether we see it or not. Some are just more glorified than others."

"You really think that?" Danielle did not want to know about the past, but saw that Matthew had a point. She even said the same words herself, so long ago.

"Yeah, we are all victims, Matthew replied. "We could be the survivors, the dead, the innocent bystanders or the shooters. We could be defending or running forward. We all have a part in it. And whether we like it or not, we're also all instigators. We could have started it or stopped it. We could have continued onward and pretended that nothing happened. But in the end, Danielle, we cannot pretend that we were not…because we all are. It's tragic that we must bear witness to what is now history's greatest ongoing worldwide war, but we must move on. We must move on and hope to God that it'll end soon."

~00~

_**June 30**_

_Ah, summer in Alaska. There's nothing more I would love. It's cooler, about in the forties, and food has been scarce. That's the kicker. We can hide here all we want, but there's little in the way of supplies. It took Matthew and Storm three days to find a way to a town with fuel we could use, miles away and over a few bridges needing repair. It took our first day to have some food and Logan had to hunt it down. After hours of whining from the children and not knowing what was going on, we finally are on the way to getting out of here and we are all together._

_Well, not all of us are there. It hurts to think about this and now write it, but Mae, Gil and Roger are dead. We met some Sentinels on Fuji, just before we left, and they killed Mae and Gil first as they walked back, before they knew what happened. Roger was so infuriated and full of anguish that he ran out there and fought them, killing them and dying in the process. Matthew convinced me that it was a good act, but I doubt that still. It burns inside of me, aching so badly that I am broken._

_It's been years since I've felt this way. I knew how difficult it was when Leon killed Jay in the farmhouse kitchen, listening to his laughter echo in my mind for months afterward and seeing that blood spot on the floor. It was worse when my mother killed herself two months later. It's that same broken feeling, like another piece of me just died. I mean, Mae was a staple in my life, whether Leon was there or not, and had been there even though I might not have needed her at the time. She kept too many secrets, hovered over my shoulder and gave advice. She was also an instigator, a mother and a caretaker. She took some of the roles too seriously and it might have cost her life. She catered to Gil and his insecurities that they did not keep close to me and met an end with a Sentinel._

_Roger might not have been different, in retrospect. He protected them both, even though Gil was not his biological son, and that deep love cost him in the end. Roger, along with Jay, trained me to be who I am today and guided me through my teen years, if that says something. Hell, I had seen him kill without blinking an eyelash, eat a hot dog while checking to make sure a room of people were dead and even drink a beer as a man struggled for breath as he was hung. I had never seen him so sentimental before, putting so much stock into a love he knew would be used against him. In the end, he might have protected us, but his age caught up to him too. It felt like his heart was ready to burst either way…_

_It does me no good to think about things that I cannot change. The only thing I can do is keep Daken and Celeste as warm as I can (since we have little in the way of winter gear) and sit as still as I can. My mind feels like it's reeling from this mess, but I have a feeling that more will come. This will not be the last of our tragedies and the end might not be as clear as we think it to be. It might all be so hopeless._


	68. Our World is Dying

_**July 7**_

_It's a dismal day, but we finally made it out of Alaska. Storm and Matthew managed to get the jet over to Russia, although we landed in the Arctic Circle of Siberia before threatening to crash, with so much behind us. It's still cold and colder yet. We have fuel to get further away, but the Sentinels are on our trail. We needed someplace where they would not find us. However, news filters through like a sieve and we've found out that Bobby's group has been spotted in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have been hiding out still. We don't know if they're in league with them, but we're sure to find out soon enough. Let's hope to a safe rest stop and a new location to settle in._

_**July 18**_

_We're south now, in Kazakhstan. It's much warmer here and we're comfortable. It's also easier in hide in the deserts here too. Like in Siberian Russian, our tracks are wiped away from the wind, this time by sand, but the Sentinels will find us soon. It's a matter of time now._

_**August 14**_

_Michael turns seventeen today. Oh, how I miss him so much! It's difficult to be here without him. Logan did comfort me, saying that he has news that Michael was spotted in South Korea two days ago. We're in China now and it seems too much to see him, seeing ourselves suffer under the harsh deserts of the north. I must be brave though. Michael was right. Daken and Celeste need me more than he and Riley at this point in their lives._

_**August 27**_

_Still in China, although we have managed to move westward towards North Korea. I don't want to get any closer to that country though. It's been oppressive for years and it hasn't changed much afterward, even when the struggle for equality begun. China is more lenient, even though it was Communist, and don't have the numerous Sentinel guards as other countries do. But they are still coming through here, killing mutants without government sanctions. I heard it was easier to have a human guard capture you. At least you would have the chance to live and maybe go to a camp._

_The ghettos are now a thing of the past. After the Human Majority stormed all of them (ours being just one off many), it ended. Dead mutant bodies rot where empty neighborhood stood. Riots are fired up still if they see someone they believe to be a mutant. There is a world police force with devices that can tell them which mutant or human is within their sights and a picture to match. It's advanced and disturbing…and they are united against us and peace._

_**October 31**_

_Celeste turns five today, celebrating her special day in Mongolia. What was best about this day was a note left behind by Devon, with news about everyone with him. Apparently, he had left it behind in a hiding spot in a hut we were now living in and had left about a month before. So, as we sat by a campfire and sang songs to Celeste, I read Devon's words again and again even as my mind stayed with the present time. It was wonderful, even to hear his voice in the words he wrote for me and Logan._

_Logan had read it through once and said nothing about it, but I thought I saw a smile on his face. It took years for Devon to accept Logan and for him to accept Devon and I think it's finally gotten to a point where they are at a stalemate and do love each other in their own way. I am enjoying the latest news and will leave it in here, to leave with my memories._

Dearest Mom (and Dad too),

Michael, Riley and I are currently doing well, all things considering in this hot September. We passed around this area some days ago and are moving forward in about an hour (which is what Rogue wanted). There are just a few words of news I wanted to pass to you.

Rogue and I decided that it was time for us to either move on or get together. We couldn't keep it the way we were, most certainly at a time like this. After some days of deliberation (yeah, it seems like a conference, right?), Rogue and I decided to stick it together. We were miserable apart and we were always wanting each other. I knew that this was something that bothered you, but it's also something we want. I hope that you are happy with our relationship and that you will be pleased that I do want to make Rogue my wife when this is all over. However, I am doubting that it will be, even now.

Your father, Chameleon, has been a great lookout. He can still make himself disappear and reappear. We also seem to be finding dead bodies in our way, since he is constantly running out before we move forward and killing whoever is in our way. He feels that he is getting too old for this kind of work, he said, but he needed to ensure our safety. It's strange, seeing a former mercenary like that, but it's also reassuring that he won't kill us in our sleep. He also sends his love, if that means anything to you. He said it might not.

Michael and Riley have been beefing up their fighting skills. You would be proud of them. They're so good at defending each other and being a line of protection that I am pleased with the results. While we still keep them in the back line, in case something happens, it's good to know how desperate they are to keep everyone of us alive and to keep the children from harm's way. Janie has taken a shine to Riley too, by the way, and follows him around like a puppy dog. Michael hasn't been searching for anyone and has not told anyone else his big secret, which he said you told him. I am happy that he came out to tell me and I would love him, regardless of who he is.

Sunspot has been the most talkative member, if you can believe that. He talks of his roots constantly, of being of mixed birth, and being a mutant a lot. While we all groan every time he talks, his words sometimes come into my mind when I am trying to sleep. He talks of peace and acceptance in such a manner that is annoying, but the nighttime thoughts go back to what he dreams of, what he wants and what he can do to help everyone. It's like that annoying hippie friend some people have. You know what I mean? The one that always talks of the things that seems unrealistic and out of reach? Yeah, that's Sunspot.

There isn't much else going on. We have yet to meet up with Bobby and his people, but it's a large world and a chance in hell you'd even get this note. I would be happy if you did. It would make my life worthwhile to know that you have this and hold onto hope that we are safe and alive. Michael and Riley send their love, as always, and will remember you and Dad in our hearts.

Until we meet again –

Love, Devon

_**September 17, 2017**_

_There has not been much to write about these past few years. Days pass, we travel, people get older and the Sentinels are always behind us. Currently, we are in France, hiding out in what was the most beautiful countryside and hoping nobody finds the X-Jet we're leaving behind for now. Magneto mentioned that it looked better back in World War II and I believe it. There is almost nothing left of the green hills he used to know and love. The world has turned into a dark place, where there is less and less sun and more pollution that hides it, and is dying before us._

_Daken and Celeste seem to be enjoying the chase, although they see the danger behind them too. I never regret them being born, but I am unhappy with the world Logan and I brought them in. Daken is eight now and enjoys sitting alone at the edge of our campsite, watching out for things we cannot tell (even Logan could not get a word out of him). Celeste tried to instigate and get a word out of Daken and the two battle it out in the end. Before Logan and I break it up (after we have a good laugh), Celeste is using her energy to build things and defend while Daken is using his bone and adamantium claws to lunge forward._

_Logan noticed that about Daken. It's two bone claws per hand, but there's adamantium flakes within the bone, to give it some reinforcement. Daken hides it well, aware of how much of a freak people outside our circle see him as. Logan is trying to reach out to him. I think it might work._

_**September 28**_

_We skipped through France and are on a boat, heading to Wales before we go to Iceland. We won't be on those shores long though. England has purged itself of the known mutants long ago and we are just using it as a stepping stone to go to Iceland and then to Greenland, to meet up with Bishop. We have not seen anyone behind us yet, but I am not counting my eggs before they hatch. I have yet to see anything happen in Greenland, but news has always been scarce. We see it as it's been happening and hope for the best._

_**November 3**_

_Bishop has been said to have appeared in many countries. Since a few years ago, he has been wanted in connection to his so-called terrorism. He has landed in countries with humans and mutants alike, asking for peace, but they have been gunned down. Bishop has escaped every time we've heard. That could be a rumor though. We'll see, since Bishop is supposed to be meeting up with us here in Greenland and has yet to appear. He's supposed to be reforming his group, the Free Mutants, and creating a strategy to counter the new armies of the American continents, headed up by a Ferris. It's a long shot, to show people that there are others who are for freedom and equality, but we can help in small ways._

_Only others news is about Daken. Logan can't talk to him, so they are sitting together silently each night before bedtime. Logan is hoping to get to Daken that way. So far, it's working and the brick wall is crumbling._

_**November 10**_

_We have been met up with Bishop and are conspiring with him. We saw him on the shores near Baffin Bay, where it is so cold that even I was shivering and feeling lightheaded. The plan was simple. We train the people Bishop has and he runs with them overseas, to try and work it from a different angle. He's planning on landing on the shores of Newfoundland and working his way a little north and then south. It's going to take a few months. I'm hoping it's worth our time._

_**February 15, 2018**_

_Bishop and his people are trained. They've left Greenland yesterday and we are doing the same tomorrow. We've stayed in this tundra long enough and have suffered a winter worse than Canada some years ago. Sentinels are now on the rampage across this country and we cannot live here. They're bound to find us._

_**April 5**_

_We saw Michael, Riley and Devon today, playing in a parade in New York City. While they were just posing as soldiers from the other side of this war and rejoiced in Ferris' name, they still recognized me and moved on. We only came back to the United States to see what was going on and this is our last day here anyway. Seeing the children made me feel more alive, as if a chance meeting was more than enough to make me hold onto hope._

_They are so grown up. It makes me so proud. I might not see them again for a while. We're off to Canada in the morning, to wait for Bishop._

_**May 31**_

_Bishop landed in Canada. We have yet to hear more news from him. It's been nervous, sitting on the other side of the Nova Scotia shore and waiting for something that should come by now._

_**June 2**_

_A sympathetic human group rose up in Montana yesterday, killing thousands. Bishop has been moving forward in the meantime, from Newfoundland onward. Authorities have been trying to stop him and have yet to succeed, although it's said that thousands, if not a million already, have been killed in the fight and even more are marching onward. They are more concerned about the so-called rebels in Montana than with Bishop. It makes me wonder if Bishop set that up too._

_**June 28**_

_Bishop's group has been broken up. We don't know who has been captured or killed yet. Matthew volunteered to have a look around and see what's going on. Magneto and the Professor agreed, asking him to come back within three days._

_**July 1**_

_We have yet to see Matthew, even though it's sunset on the third day. We're in grave danger staying here, so we're moving on. He'll figure out how to find us if he comes back here. I have faith in his skills._

_**July 10**_

_Matthew is dead. Oh, God, he's dead. We don't know how, but we've found his body hanging from a tree, already dead before being hung by the feet. We think that he had been beaten to death, just like Hank had, and left for dead. We are not closer to the truth and still do not know what has happened except for seeing this one thing. However, now we know that we're not needed here, we're moving on across the sea, this time to Morocco. It might disturb Storm to go back to the continent of her youth, but at least she won't be homeless and stealing to survive._

_Storm has said nothing about Matthew though. I know the two had been close, even though they weren't in a relationship really. Honestly, I have known him as a child and lost him, only to rescue him again at the Kansas camp. The years have been kinder to us and I saddened by his death. It's another piece that broke away, but I am getting used to it. We slowly moved on, knowing that it was the best we can do._

_**January 19, 2020**_

_Nothing has changed. We're still in Africa, but I don't know where. Storm doesn't even know and she used to walk this continent. She has been away from this place for so long that even she has forgotten everything. However, it's all desert, so we think we're somewhere in the Sahara, since we seem to be in a northerly direction. Supplies are still good and there's a well nearby. We've been camped out here for a few days and might join a caravan that's coming, all of the mutants._

_Word has reached me that a two groups we left behind a few years ago have been made into one. The children are in hiding and separated into another room, but the adults have been sticking together and moving them when they can. It was because Rogue has been captured by human guards not even a month ago and her group managed to find Bobby's days later. It's harsh to think of Rogue in captivity again and it breaks my heart, especially for Devon, but there is nothing we can do._

_Chameleon has disappeared though. After he helped them find Bobby, he vanished. Nobody knows where he is and whether or not he's dead. I am sure that he is in hiding though, waiting for his chance to strike. He spent enough time with a group. It's now time for him to be on his own and be the person he was becoming._

_The Professor wants to keep moving. I must stop, since he asked me and Logan to scout ahead._

_**January 20**_

_Bounty hunters had been up ahead. Logan and I have been away for just the day and managed to get rid of them all, hiding the bodies before alerting everyone that it's safe to move forward. I don't know if there are more where they came from, but I sure as hell not allowing them near the children. I'll die first._

_**January 29**_

_We're nearing Egypt, but there's trouble. There's rioting up ahead, no bounty hunters or Sentinels. We might need to turn around._

_**March 7**_

_We turned south by the time we reached Egypt and have found some beautiful forests, unlike anything I have ever seen before. It's been so humid, which might be the reason why nobody has come this way to destroy what had been nature's property to begin with. We had yet to see anybody come after us, but it's a false sense of security, I think._

_Bishop is still on the run with what was left of the Free Mutants. It's been rumored he went across Canada and into the United States. After meeting him though, I wouldn't think him as stupid as to go places he knew to be dangerous. However, I wouldn't put it past him to be putting himself right into the middle of it too, if he saw the gain in it._

_**August 17, 2022**_

_We've been lucky. After a trip around Africa and back to Europe (which took two years and many runs from Sentinels later), we found the X-Jet, all in one piece. The fuel is a little stale, but it was easy to find more, even in war-torn France. The semi-peaceful trip back here had been exciting though, even though the world crumbled around us. The other mutants we traveled with in Africa and back to Europe had been kind, we shared what we had and comforted the sick and dying. There are so few of us mutants left though, so few…_

_Also, there have been rumors concerning Mystique lately, all of them disturbing. Both Magneto and the Professor have said nothing, but I can feel their concern. We know that she used to have a mutant group she protected some years before. Since the departure of some people with her (captured dead or moved on), she had been becoming more and more violent, killing left and right. She started in Russia and moved on from there, even attacking mutants who would not kill humans. Her death toll has been in the thousands, according to these rumors, and she is now wanted…dead. They don't want her alive._

_I can't say that I liked Mystique (I thought of her as too sneaky for my tastes), but I am sorry for the woman she used to be. She was not the assassin that she is now. She was a woman some time in her life, someone with feelings that turned too bitter and unhappy. I don't know how or why she turned out the way she did (I would assume Magneto), but I am sure that she has some shred of humanity left in her. To hear that she has been killing everyone against her is something even I cannot believe. If it is true, then she has gone down into a spiral that we cannot save her from._

_Right now, what I need to be concerned about is Daken and Celeste. I cannot believe that one is thirteen and the other almost twelve. I cannot believe how quickly they grew up, even throughout all of the troubles we've had. Indeed, they've enjoyed the traveling around the world and did not shy away from the bad things. We could not help that, even if we tried. Instead of scarring them though, it hardened them, more than I realized, especially Daken. He talks more, I'll give him that, but Celeste is the one who talks too much. They are opposites in every way and it amazes me to think how different all of our children are, all five of them._

_Speaking of which, we did see Devon, Michael and Riley some time ago, maybe two weeks ago. Although traveling with Bobby, we passed them in Europe (I think it was Italy), although it was through eye glances that we had to use, saying hello and goodbye. God, I have not hugged them all in so many years, but I am proud to see them so grown and happy. They were dressed as human refugees, dragging some children with them. I couldn't see who else was there, since it was easier just to pass quickly, but I was glad to see them alive._

_Storm just asked me to help her navigate. Since Matthew and Roger are no longer alive, it's either me or Logan that have been helping her fly. I'll keep my ear to the ground though, to see what is next._

_**December 26**_

_The day after Christmas has been spent here in France. We have been stuck here for some time, since there are more patrols in the skies, especially from the Sentinels. They are so advanced now, hiding in their new ships and coming out when they sense us. It's a dismal holiday and the skies are almost pitch black, but as long as we are together, I am content._

_The beaches nearby are empty. We can't tell which town we're in, but I am see it used to be a nude colony. Logan and I will sometimes walk the sands, but it's so polluted and full of poison that we sometimes are tripping over so many things and healing from the toxic waste seeping inside of us. However, it's becoming a chore almost, traveling the world and finding someplace safe, but we need to do something soon. Bishop has tried and failed and so have we. They are too strong, even if our will is stronger. We need to find a way to combat this, before it's too late. It might already be…_

_Celeste is arguing with Daken. I wonder what about now._

_**December 27**_

_It's pure silliness. Daken and Celeste are getting too crammed in one place and are getting on each other's nerves. Logan and I have to separate them now and put them on opposite ends of the jet like the children they are acting. Celeste has her arms crossed and put a black and red shield up, to prevent Daken from crossing. Daken has his claws out, growling every so often if he senses that Celeste is looking at him the wrong way._

_I can't help but laugh sometimes. "This is what we get for having more than one," I mentioned to Logan as we watched the two silently bicker earlier this morning._

"_I guess so." Logan lit up a cigar. "Didn't you feel the same way about your brother?"_

"_We were different," I replied, stiffening. "Jay and I shared powers. He could control me and vice versa, even though I wasn't able to. This…this is a little more ridiculous."_

"_They're trapped in this world and grew up without a normal childhood."_

"_Neither did we, remember."_

"_Right."_

_Logan nodded and continued to smoke his cigar and we sat together, our backs to the cold inside walls of the jet. I didn't know what else to say, but I knew that we had to somehow get out of here soon. The Professor wanted to head east again, perhaps to Turkey or Syria, and lose ourselves in the chaos there. It would be difficult, since there has been war over there for many years anyway, and we might be found. However, we always come up with an escape plan and we always manage to get away, no matter what._

_The Professor said he is hoping to meet up with the others in a few weeks. Bobby and his group are somewhere in Asia still. If we can locate them, we can work what we need to do. The future of humanity may depend on it this time. We are the remaining ones left. We need to fight or die._

_**January 10, 2023**_

_Mystique is dead. The people in the streets who are still free are rejoicing, calling for her head and threatening to pull the body apart when it's been found. There have been no details as to how it's happened and why. Perhaps it's best that way, with the Professor and Magneto so upset._

_**January 31**_

_No details into how Mystique died still, although I am thinking that Logan knows something about it that we don't (I won't ask and he won't tell). However, in other news, we think we found everyone. We're heading towards China now, with the last of the fuel we put into the X-Jet. We're scanning the Great Wall now, passing the Sentinel guards._


	69. A Woman of One Face

It had been many years, _oh_ so many years, that she had fought and won, thinking that nobody would catch up to her. Now, on the edge of the abyss and with nowhere else to go except death, the woman with many faces was nearing the end. The dead end was soon to come.

It was almost thirteen years ago that everything started to unravel and everything went out of control, even by normal standards. Mystique knew it, as she stared at her new target when the new future became 2023, and realized that she wasn't what she used to be. Even after she was last seen with a known mutant that the Russian authorities picked up and sent on over to the United States for information and torturing, life had turned too dangerous, even for her, and it made her very vicious. And they knew that it was a clue, she saw, and one that would be the beginning of her undoing and for those who she had kept so safe for many years. It was a step towards where she was now and she cursed the days afterward that she allowed Jubilee to leave that train car.

Returning to Fuyuan had been like a chore to Mystique too. Indirectly, she knew that Jubilee had caused a chain of events that even Mystique did not see coming. She was not able to work out how Jubilee was able to attract that much attention to herself, but she saw that she, as well as her other mutant charges, were being followed in the days afterward. They all tried to play it cool and pretend that everything was the same as it was before, but it wasn't too long before one was picked up. Granted, Mystique saw that as a sign of worse things to come and only dismissed it outwardly, saying to the rest of them that the person who had been captured was careless and they would be moving on soon enough to avoid the same fate.

Of course, that had been a false hope, since plans had been foiled every time one turned around, so Mystique turned to her usual trade. During the day, she would gather information as she always did, finding out that the people who had Jubilee before her escape, the Human Majority in league with Trask, had used their religious wiles to get into politics and become a leading force in regulating the mutants. They had been tracking down everyone that had been part of the 2008 mass escape in New Hampshire, their main lab that was infiltrated into by Logan and destroyed within days. Jubilee had been in solitary confinement and ran towards Russia through kinder channels, but that had not stopped these people from tracking her down and taking her away again.

Mystique regretted the decision not to tell Jubilee all of the information she learned. However, it had been for the best. The girl had been keen on reconciling with Rogue and would not listen to reason and would not use her brains to work her way through her new life. Mystique did not ask for anything in return except cooperation and even that ran thin with Jubilee. No matter, thought the woman of many faces once more. She had much more to live for and would move on soon, after her next target had been determined and killed.

For some reason, that never happened in the immediate time after Jubilee had disappeared. Life went on as usual, but there were some quirks that even made everyone jump at. As she worked her night shift position, Mystique again felt like she was being watched all the time, as if her superiors thought her to be a mutant anyway and the one they were looking for. She smiled through it all, unsure of what else to do, and went home every morning to sleep. Of course though, she could not sleep. She could not think. For once, she had no plan and that alone was starting to bother her immensely.

Mystique had been scared of many things in her life, but that had faded away shortly after the incident on the beach in Cuba. That had been almost fifty years ago, years in which she knew nothing except power and valor. This time, since the day on the beach and many better days afterward, she was scared. And she had no reason why.

It must have been later in the year, before Christmastime 2010, when things turned for the worst. Mystique was still in Fuyuan with her charges (without a target and plan still) and working overtime like the rest of her co-workers, hoping that she would get the paycheck that she was promised. However, in the middle of the shift before her second break, she was called over by her supervisor. He was a kind man, Mystique felt, and his sympathies were with those suffering, but he was also a loyal Russian who would do what he needed to do in order to survive. It was admirable and despicable at the same time.

"Yes?" Mystique asked him, her disguise, even as a former homeless woman, making the supervisor suspicious.

"You're wanted in the office," the supervisor said. "Some police officers who want to talk to you. Makes me wonder what you've done, since you've been so good here."

"I don't know," Mystique admitted, although her heart was in her throat. "It could be something I knew when I was…you know, homeless and destitute. Anything is possible."

It was the best way to explain it all. _Anything is possible_. In this time and place, it was the most apt phrase to use to plead innocence. The supervisor shrugged his shoulders, allowing Mystique off of the floor and into the hallway where the offices were, leaving her to her own devices. She knew what to do though. The woman of many faces had been through enough tricky situations to get out of one when she saw it.

In a corner where she knew that no camera watched, Mystique walked into its shadows and came out the supervisor she just talked to. She walked into a coatroom, taking out his jacket and hat, and walked out of the building, heading towards to where her supervisor lived. She played it up as if she was her supervisor too, tipping his hat this way and that, greeting everyone coming back from the early hours church masses, so many this time of year. She even went inside his apartment on the first floor some blocks away, walking to the back of the apartment building without entering his lodgings. Changing into just another homeless woman, Mystique then exited out of the window and ran all the way to her own residence, racing up the stairs and seeing the door opened and hanging loosely by the hinges.

"Oh, no," Mystique whispered. She ran through the broken door, stopping at the kitchen and staring at the mess before her.

It was a disaster, she had to admit. Furniture had been overturned, dishes had been smashed and belongings were scattered on the floor. There had been a fight here, Mystique grasped. There were a few of them and her charges had fought back. Slowly, as if she did not understand what had happened, she walked through the place, noting blood splatters and detached limbs in random corners, like one had run and the next had gone in the opposite direction and met their ends in different manners. When she stopped in the bedroom, even Mystique was seeing red.

One of the bedrooms had been turned into a torture chamber. The rest of the mutants that had stayed with her from the beginning, who she promised safety and being anonymous in this wretched world, had been cut bit by bit, hung and left for dead, their body parts scattered everywhere, most of all in this room. They had fought bravely, she knew, and they had faced the end anyway.

Afterward, life had been a living hell and hardly worth living. It was a journey that Mystique could hardly remember from the beginning either. Twelve years seemed a short time for one who lived so long, but not for one who could keep on living in nothing except revenge. She did not know what got into her head and did not know what she was doing anymore. She took on no more mutants to help, for they would kill themselves in the end anyway. She did not trust humans any more than mutants and would make them her prime target for assassination.

Blood had been her bath for the days to come. It washed her year after year, giving her a taste of what the mutants had long ago begun to see and feel. She did not care anymore. All Mystique wanted was for the hurt to end and for everyone who had participated in it to be dead, dead as she was inside. There was no putting her life back together or a happy family reunion or whatever. Mystique knew that she had become the one thing that Xavier and even Magneto had warned about.

A cold-hearted person was one not to be around. It was either that or face the pain. And poor, old Mystique could not handle that either.

By the end of 2022, Mystique had been planning another assassination, one she knew would be suicide and well worth her life anyway. As the world turned to dust around her and the people were whipped into slavery and fear, she turned to the one person who had helped to start it all. Thomas Ferris, a relation of the man who helped to build Trask after its creator's assassination by her hands back in 1973, was now head of the whole American continents. A dictator in many ways and full of ego, Mystique felt that he had to go…and her with him.

Mystique did not care that she died too. Just as long as the oppressor was gone, she would be content. Her work would be completed and she could rest in peace.

And that was why she was at his palace in Washington, DC this very night. It was the New Year, it was the beginning of 2023 now, and Ferris was celebrating in more ways than one. Over twenty years ago, he and his brother rose in a company that was still competing for attention and winning. Now, he was living like a king on the backs of those he killed. Mystique, posing as one of his many bodyguards, could even easily see how much of a glutton Ferris was. The man practically lived in his so-called throne room with nightly visits to his chambers, seated on his own plush chair and calling for every which thing that fancied him, from a brunette to some cake.

It was disgusting, Mystique had to admit, but it was familiar to feel comfortable in a place where she knew death was about. And Ferris had grown mighty since his ascension up the chain so many years ago, which made it easier for her. With a disappearing act like that happened some time ago with Trask's great and power mystery head (which Mystique knew to be Apocalypse), somebody had to take the reins and Ferris was up to the position. With revenge on his mind and his brother's death on his conscience, the younger Ferris went on rampage that included government takeovers, massacres of those who opposed him and the destruction of the countries of the two continents he now controlled. He held the whip and only had to flick his tongue into words to make his will known.

This night, taking the place of one she already had killed, Mystique anxiously waited for Ferris to say the word and she would follow him to his bedroom, which his pleasures awaited him in great splendor. At last, around eleven in the evening, he yawned, indicating that Mystique follow him to his appointed death. She obeyed, feeling her weapon in her pocket to ensure its safety. Seeing that she was still held it, she trailed Ferris to his room, closing the door behind them when she saw that there was no threat except for her. She then proceeded with the dressing game and saw Ferris to bed. However, this night, he decided that he wanted to talk to her.

"Do you know who is coming to see me tonight?" Ferris asked Mystique brusquely, as if she had a list of women who would care to visit tonight.

"No, Sire," Mystique replied carefully, eying him carefully for her chance to kill. "No woman have told me if they needed entry."

"Good, good." Ferris sat on his bed, folding his fingers into each other. "We have a different kind of visitor this night. I think you need to meet him."

"What do you mean, Sire?" Mystique was confused, playing along with this game. "Am I supposed to know this person is coming?"

"No, no." Ferris waved his hands at her this time, soon turning his head as the door opened behind Mystique. However, before another word was said, Mystique heard the shot and felt the burning sensation spread across her back.

_I've been shot!_

The realization struck Mystique as shocking, something she did not expect at the time. She then knew that she had little time and would not get the chance to kill Ferris again. Picking up her own weapon, she aimed it at the most hated man in her mind, but soon felt another shot hit her back. She crumbled to the floor like a piece of paper as her weapon flew from her hands, her disguise becoming her blue body with red hair. Blood drained from her body like a colander full of water. She was quickly becoming cold, _oh_ so cold, and felt like she was drowning.

Ferris got up from his bed, looking at Mystique shaking with chills on the floor from above. He kicked her a few times, soon discarding his footwear after he was done. It was like the mutant was too disgusting and would spread something hideous if the items had stayed on his feet. Then, very barefoot and hardly allowing Mystique a view of the executioner, Ferris stood over her, arms across his chest.

"You really think you could fool us, Raven Darkhölme?" Ferris asked her in a revolted tone. "You really think you could have passed by _my_ security, which I built with my brother, and try to kill me? You're funny, Raven, _very_ funny."

"Fuck you." Insulted by the use of her human name, Mystique screamed and felt the man with the weapon shoot her again and hover within the shadows, where she could not see him. She cursed the man with the orders instead, hoping to use her last words to strike better. "Fuck you, Ferris. Die and rot in hell."

Shaking his head, Ferris walked away. Fading away as if in a dream, Mystique watched as the gathering blackness clouded her eyes. She tried desperately to wade through the darkness, to stay awake and see Ferris swallow some blood by her hands, but some new, warm light beckoned her elsewhere. She did not want to follow it, to see the woman that she really was and be reconciled with it. For all of her life, since she was a child, she was a blue skinned mutant with slick red hair and the ability to morph into another person. It was a talent, she knew, and one that kept her alive for so many years.

Until now, that is. The woman who used to have many faces now confronted one, the same that followed everyone everywhere: death. It had now come to take her without Ferris.

Mystique did not hear the last shot. She could only see the first time she saw Xavier in that light that came for her throughout the shadows, all those years ago in his kitchen when she was so hungry…

And so cold…_so_ cold…

"_You're hungry and alone. Take whatever you want. We've got lots of food. You don't have to steal. In fact, you never have to steal again…"_

* * *

**The direct quote from above did come from the beginning scenes of _X-Men: First Class_, from Xavier to Mystique as children.**


	70. This Only Hope

_Did you see the frightened ones?  
Did you hear the falling bombs?  
Did you ever wonder why  
We had to run for shelter,  
When the promise of a brave new world  
Unfurled beneath a clear blue sky?_

_Did you see the frightened ones?  
Did you hear the falling bombs?  
The flames are all long gone,  
But the pain lingers on…_

_Goodbye, blue sky…  
Goodbye, blue sky…  
Goodbye, goodbye…_

They were finally over the Great Wall of China and passing over some mountains to their destination. Ororo had managed to get the jet invisible before they reached some unpleasant Sentinels, using the last of their power and fuel to get through. She searched high and low though, thinking that the last members of the group had landed somewhere along the wall or past it. However, Xavier still seemed to be searching too, his mind elsewhere as Danielle and Ororo navigated through the dark skies and even darker sentries on guard.

"Professor?" Ororo called out, hoping they would land soon.

Xavier turned around so gently from his meditation, his voice so optimistic. "I've found them."

After some careful instructions and some yelling at Daken and Celeste to calm down and quit bouncing around, Ororo found her way to an old monastery near the Great Wall of China, landing the jet on an empty space beside the ruins. Smiling at Danielle, she joined the others in disembarking. On the way out, Danielle handed Logan the last cigar they had, directing their remaining children outside as he lit up and smoked. Before them stood the survivors, all ready to greet them. They smiled and greeted each other with controlled emotions (even Danielle did not cry over Devon, Michael and Riley), but it was Kitty's powers they talked about when they entered the great, solemn building, explaining to those who did not understand how they've managed to survive. It gave Magneto an idea though. He turned to Xavier.

"This might work, Charles," he said, his eyes showing a scheme in mind.

Kitty was immediately confused. "What might work?"

"The Sentinel program was originally conceived by Doctor Bolivar Trask," Xavier started explaining, seeing where Magneto was going with his plans, it seemed. "In the early seventies, he was one of the world's leading weapon designers. But correctly, he had begun experimenting on mutants…using their gifts to fuel his own research. There was one mutant who has discovered what he was doing."

"A mutant with the ability to transform herself into anyone," Magneto hinted.

Peter crossed his arms. "Mystique."

"I knew her as Raven," Xavier replied in confirmation, his voice full of longing from a time long past. "We met when we were children, grew up together. She was like a sister to me. I tried to help her…but only succeeded in driving her away. She hunted Trask across the world. And at the Paris Peace Accords in 1973, after the Vietnam War…she found Trask…and killed him. It was the first she killed."

"It wasn't her last." Logan remembered it well, hiding his newest secret close to his heart, Danielle noticed when she tried connecting to him.

Xavier than paused, thinking. "But killing Trask did not have the outcome expected. It only persuaded the government of the need of his program. They captured her that day…tortured her, experimented on her. In her DNA, they discovered the secrets to her powers of transformation. It gave them the key they needed to create weapons that could adapt to any mutant power. And in less than fifty years, the machines that have destroyed so many of our kind were created. But that started that day in 1973 – the day she first killed. The day she truly became Mystique."

"You want to go back there," Kitty said. It wasn't a question.

"If I can get to her, stop the assassination, keep her out of their hands, then we can stop the Sentinels from ever being born," Xavier confirmed, sounding confident that he could end it, if he could, but knew there was an impediment to the whole thing.

"And end this war, before it ever begins," Magneto finished, revealing the scheme that he, as well as Xavier, could have thought of all of this time.

Modestly, Kitty looked down before facing Xavier with the bad news. "Uh, I can send someone back a couple weeks. Maybe a month. But you're talking about going back decades. You have the most powerful brain in the world, Professor…but the mind can only stretch so far before it snaps. It would you rip apart. I'm sorry. No one could survive that trip."

Without even consulting Danielle, Logan moved forward, seeing this as their last and perhaps the only hope they've got left. "What is someone's mind has a way of snapping back? What if someone can heal as fast as they're ripped apart?"

It was then that the deal was sealed. By volunteering himself, Logan had provided the answer. He would be the person who would go back into the past. If Xavier could not stand to go back that long, Logan could…and was one of the only ones that had lived in that time that might be able to change the future. It was quickly decided within seconds that this was it. Assignments were given out and people were placed either inside or outside for defense. Danielle managed to stay inside with Daken, Celeste, Magneto, Bobby, Xavier, Logan and Kitty. She quickly said her farewells to Devon, Michael and Riley, kissing them gently before allowing them to leave. She felt that she was ready to see them on their feet, cutting the connection to them and looking at Logan, who now stood before her bravely. As the others prepared for the Sentinels coming to them on the outside, the two stared at each other, hungry for the other and unable to express it in the way they wanted to, with so little time and too many people.

Logan immediately went for Danielle, kissing her. She wrapped her arms around him just as he did, but soon had to separate. Their eyes searched each other for the words to say and both of them could come up with nothing. Danielle didn't even want to exchange a quick conversation in their minds, she was that anxious to get this done and over with. This might be the last time Logan ever remembered her like this and it might not be like it in the new future. She needed to know that Logan had that one last reassurance, one last hug, one last kiss…

With a hand filled with blue and silver, Danielle put her hand from her heart to Logan's before taking a hold of it "There might be a new opportunity out there, with this new future. And I won't mind, Logan. As long as this world is safe, I cannot blame you…_us_…if we had crossed pathways separate from what we have now. You won't see me in 1973 and you might never see me in the new future, but I always want you to remember me. Remember _us_. Remember what we had, our children and the lives we had. It wasn't in the greatest of circumstances, but I would never regret it for the world."

Logan quickly kissed Danielle one last time. "I love you, babe."

_And I love you too, always and forever._ Daniele made sure the message went through, letting go of Logan and watching him say goodbye to the children and then cross the room to the stone bed, standing before it as he talked to Magneto and Xavier. Kitty sat back, preparing herself for the long task ahead, but all and all, she was confident and appeared more adult than Danielle had ever seen her before.

Logan showed a brave face, trying to understand the assignment. "So, I wake up in my younger body, God knows where. Then what?"

Xavier motioned to Logan their surroundings. "You'll need to go to my house and find me. Convince me of all of this."

"Won't you be able to just read my mind?" Logan was confused.

"I didn't have my powers in 1973," Xavier clarified, becoming desperate in his begging almost. "Logan, you're going to have to do for me what I once did for you. Lead me, _guide_ me. I was a very different man then. You'll have to be patient with me."

Danielle heard a scoff from Logan and almost laughed through her anguish. "Patience isn't my strongest suit."

Magneto soon moved forward. "You'll need me too."

"What?" Logan soon felt totally unfit for the task, but prompted himself to listen to Magneto anyway.

"After Mystique left Charles, she came with me," Magneto added when the shock wore off, "and I set her on a different path…a darker path. It's going to take the two of us, Wolverine, side by side at a time when we couldn't be further apart."

"Great." Logan sounded sarcastic, which made even Danielle and the two younger kids smile, even throughout the seriousness of the situation. "So, where do you I find you?"

Magneto grinned, but it was a secret smile, like a surprise for later. "Well, it's complicated."

~00~

_**February 1**_

_Well, this is it. We found everyone at a once beautiful monastery by the Great Wall of China. The plan is now to send Logan back into the back, using Kitty's time traveling powers. The time is early 1973 and the true destination is unknown. The mission to get the much younger Professor and Magneto to understand the true impact of the Sentinel program and to get them to stop Mystique from assassinating Bolivar Trask in Paris. The kicker is to get them to work together when they were so far away in distance and interests._

_It's heartbreaking, but this is our last hope. I cannot bear to watch Logan lay there with Kitty holding onto his mind though. The children were scared, even Daken, and do not know what this will bring for them, since this new future would mean everything new and they would never recall the times here. However, Logan is the only one who would be able to heal, since the process would hurt the Professor's mind if he tried it (and he wanted to, to get his younger self out of a rut). The mind is a fragile thing (this much I know) and would snap in an instant if it went too far one way or another. Even with a strong mind, the Professor would destroy himself and we would lose everything._

_This day though, I am ready to accept this new future. Who knows what it will bring? I mean, everything will be different, as day and night are. I doubt I would have to give up my older sons to an outside force I could not protect them from. I would not have to watch my younger children fight their fears back, watching their father try and save the future when he isn't equipped to. I would not have to hear of friends dead, melt at death scenes or a million other things…_

_Logan and I might be different people then too. I was not even thought of in 1973, but Jay was alive, and very young too. At least I would know that course has been set already and cannot change. If I am not to be, then so be it. Logan can find his way and always had. If I am, I hope that things changed in my life. I would not want to live the same life again and would not want to have Logan watch it unfold. Hell, the past eight or so years we've been on our own and freed from the ghetto are years I do not want to repeat either, but it taught us lessons I cannot forget. However, if the Professor finds his senses with Logan in 1973, I'm sure he'll hook Logan right into the school and get him involved. I wouldn't doubt that._

_There are so many thoughts I have about this new future though, so much so that I cannot organize them properly. Like talking of anything that gets me highly emotional, I cannot put on paper what I am thinking and make it appear straight. Well, I said my goodbye to Logan and we're on alert for the Sentinels. Those outside, including Devon, Michael and Riley, shall be the first line of defense. We shall be the last, hoping to God that Logan gets through in time. I know he can do this though. I have so much faith in him._

_I don't think I have any other words to say right now, even as I think of so many we left behind, so many that are missing and the rest that are dead. I am almost out of ink as well as paper and well on my way to having to sit for a while and chat with people and keep the children calm. For now, I need to close and hope that this falls through…that this new future comes to pass better than this one…and that this, our only hope and chance for a real life, comes true._

* * *

**Well, this is the end. A few notes, as always...**

**Credit goes where credit is due. The lyrics at the beginning of this chapter are from Pink Floyd's song, "Goodbye, Blue Sky" from _The Wall_. Second, most of the conversations in this chapter are from _Days of Future Past_, so I apologize to those who have not seen the movie. I did move them around a little for liberty's sake, but they have stayed faithfully where they have been, for the most part.**

**There's always the few people you want to thank. Even though this story has been a bummer in many ways, with so much traveling and time hops to keep the story moving, there are those who believed in me. First, I would like to thank my boyfriend most of all, who was always there for me and rooted for me, even though he might always know what I was writing about (and giving me ideas, whether he realized it or not, especially with Cable and Apocalypse). Next, I would like to thank hotbibl many times over, for all of the support, messages and reassurances and for being there, even through the busy schedules. Lastly, I would like to thank ALL OF YOU who have read this story and gave me the traffic. It was wonderful to see support from all of you!**

**As far as I know, there will be one more story in the series unless the new movie gives me another idea. I don't know when I'm posting it yet, so be patient. It'll be kicking around sometime soon...**


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